Usher recently returned to Sin City for a different kind of residency. He has opened a skating rink residency titled Flipper’s World Roller Boogie Palace alongside friend Liberty Ross.
“This is kind of a victory lap for Las Vegas,” he told PEOPLE at the spot’s grand opening, where he displayed his skating skills.
He credits the skating for always keeping him young, adding, “It’s something that I feel is a necessity for youth nowadays.”
“Everybody spends so much time scrolling,” Usher said. “We want you to roll, come out, get active, come and have a good time.”
“There’s no judgement here,” he continued. “You fall, you get back up. We invite the entire family to come.”
His hope is that he can get Snoop Dogg, Pharrell and Dr. Dre, who attended the grand opening, to get on the rink one day.
“Dre, Snoop and Pharrell getting out here would be crazy,” Usher tells PEOPLE. “NWA came up through skaters, a lot of those early hip hop bands could only get space to perform in the roller rinks. I can still remember as a kid performing in rinks. It’s always been the grounds for culture.”
He says skating’s also “a form of self care” and that “people need to understand how fun this really is.”
(WASHINGTON) — While the House Ethics Committee will meet behind closed doors on Wednesday to discuss its investigation into former Rep. Matt Gaetz, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general, it’s possible that Congress could go around the committee to release the panel’s findings.
According to House rules, any member of Congress can go to the floor and tee up a vote on a “privileged resolution” that would force the Ethics Committee to release its report on Gaetz within two legislative days.
The member would only have to argue that not releasing the report impacts the “dignity” or “integrity” of the House or “reputation” of its members.
The action would be unusual, but not unprecedented. In the 1990s, Democrats repeatedly tried to force the Ethics Committee to divulge information about investigations into then-Speaker Newt Gingrich.
Those efforts came up short because Republicans closed ranks around Gingrich and the majority. But Gaetz is incredibly unpopular on Capitol Hill, and it would only take a handful of Republicans — along with all Democrats — to pass the resolution.
“If you’re a member of Congress, do you really want to be in the business of defending Matt Gaetz?” former Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Pennsylvania, who led the Ethics Committee, told ABC News Monday.
Rep. Susan Wild of Pennsylvania, the ranking Democrat on the committee, said there are “plenty” of precedents of the committee disclosing reports even after a member has resigned.
Wild said that all members of the committee have access to the report and hopes that “one or more” Republicans will vote with Democrats for its release.
Asked if that’s a possibility, Wild said, “I don’t know. I haven’t talked to all of them. I mean, everybody, everybody on the committee now has the report, so they’ve got the opportunity to be reviewing it.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson has opposed releasing the report, saying he’s protecting an “important guardrail for out institution” that any ethics investigation ends once a member leaves the House.
On Tuesday, Johnson denied that Trump or Gaetz have pressured him to bury the report or that he had discussed it with them or Ethics Committee Chairman Rep. Michael Guest, R-Miss.
“I wouldn’t have that conversation with [Gaetz]. Because that’s not appropriate for us to do that,” Johnson said. “President Trump respects the guardrails of our institution as well, and I’m very guarded about those things. So neither of those gentlemen would breach that.”
“I haven’t talked to Michael Guest about the report. I talk to all my colleagues, but I know where the lines are. I have no idea about the contents of the report,” Johnson told reporters as he walked back to his office from a news conference.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries gave a brief “Yes” when asked Tuesday if the Gaetz report should be released to the public.
If the Ethics Committee doesn’t vote to release its findings, Democrats could raise the possibility of forcing a floor vote – which would put Republicans on the record about Gaetz.
Sabrina Carpenter has been jokingly arresting audience members before singing fan-favorite song “Juno” at her Short n’ Sweet tour concerts, and Monday was no exception. At her final U.S. tour date in LA, Sabrina arrested none other than Jack Antonoff and his wife, actress Margaret Qualley. Sabrina asked Jack, who produced four songs on Short n’ Sweet, if maybe he “could produce someone even hotter than you.” He obliged by pushing Margaret into frame. “Whoever made you, God bless them, God bless their genetics,” Sabrina told Margaret, referencing lyrics from “Juno.”
Gracie Abrams attended the Gladiator II LA premiere after-party with her rumored boyfriend and the film’s star, Paul Mescal, on Monday. The date night served as the first major public appearance for the couple, who were seen getting cozy together after they posed for photographs.
You put it on and said it was your favorite. Taylor Swift is giving her fans what they want — official cardigans back on sale in her merchandise store. “cardigan weather, we [love] you. your favorite cardigans, old and new, are back in store for 24 hours or while supplies last! shop #tsthecardigancollection before tomorrow at 9:59am et at store.taylorswift.com,” Taylor Nation wrote on Instagram. Many have already sold out, but those interested in a Midnights or 1989 (Taylor’s Version) cardigan are still in luck.
Sam Costanza/New York Daily News/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
(NEW YORK) — A man accused of killing three people in an apparent unprovoked stabbing spree in Manhattan made his first appearance in court on Tuesday.
Ramon Rivera, 51, was charged with three counts of first-degree murder, according to the New York Police Department. He confessed to the killings during questioning, according to police sources.
The judge on Tuesday granted the prosecution’s request for remand. Rivera is set to return to court on Nov. 22.
The attacks unfolded within three hours on Monday morning.
The first victim, 36-year-old Angel Lata Landi, was fatally stabbed in the abdomen at 8:22 a.m. in an unprovoked attack by the construction site where he was working on West 19th Street, the NYPD said.
About two hours later, 67-year-old Chang Wang was fatally stabbed multiple times on East 30th Street, police said.
The third victim, 36-year-old Wilma Augustin, was attacked around 10:55 a.m. at 42nd Street and First Avenue. She had multiple stab wounds and was taken to a hospital where she later died, officials said.
The suspect — who was staying at the Bellevue Men’s Shelter on East 30th Street — was apprehended around East 46th Street and First Avenue, police said.
He appeared to pick the victims at random, police said.
“He just walked up to them and began to attack them,” Chief of Detectives Joe Kenny said at a news conference.
Two bloody kitchen knives were recovered, police said.
Rivera has eight prior arrests in New York City, according to law enforcement, and is believed to have severe mental health challenges, Mayor Eric Adams said. Rivera’s case renewed frustration with the city’s inability to treat people in mental distress and hold people with a history of low-level criminal activity.
“There’s a real question as to why he was on the street,” Adams said.
John Shearer/Getty Images for Concert For Carolina
Luke Combssays he is putting his health first when it comes to his sons, 2-year-old Tex and 1-year-old Beau.
“Surprisingly, this is the least country thing I’ve ever said: [I’m] gluten-free now,” the country singer told ABC News.
Combs, 34, said during a break this summer he noticed that his anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder — which at times have affected him to “a crippling extent,” he said — were “flaring up really bad” and “beginning to get in the way of everyday life enjoyment.”
This, he said, prompted him to do a “deep dive” into his health.
Combs said he found a doctor in Nashville and did a food sensitivity test, which revealed he had a “really high sensitivity” to gluten. Some studies have shown that eliminating gluten from the diet may help manage mood in people with gluten intolerance or sensitivity, however, it may not be helpful for all mental health issues.
“Ever since eliminating that, man, it’s changed my life mentally,” he shared, saying he experienced an unexpected physical side effect, as well. “There was no intent of, like, man, I should try to lose some weight.”
Combs said his sons, both of whom he shares with wife Nicole, are “without a doubt” the main reason he’s prioritizing his health, both mental and physical.
“Longevity is the goal,” he said. “Every day you get to spend with those guys is really fun and tough, and you need to be your best self to take care of them the way that you feel like they deserve to be taken care of.”
“It’s a long process, man. It’s a long road,” the singer added. “It’s tough. It’s a challenge, man. I struggle with it every day.”
Combs is celebrating the success of his latest album, Fathers & Sons, which is up for Album of the Year at the 2024 CMA Awards.
Despite also being up for Male Vocalist of the Year and the coveted Entertainer of the Year top prize, Combs said the nod for Fathers & Sons — which he dedicated to his boys — is “a little extra special.”
Tune into the 2024 CMA Awards on Wednesday, Nov. 20, airing live on ABC at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and streaming live on Hulu the next day.
Gov’t Mule frontman Warren Haynes is heading out on the road next year in support of his recently released solo album, Million Voices Whisper.
Haynes just announced dates for the Million Voices Whisper tour, which will have him backed by the Warren Haynes Band: drummer Terence Higgins, Gov’t Mule bassist Kevin Scott, Matt Slocum on keys and Greg Osby on sax. The tour kicks off Feb. 7 in Knoxville, Tennessee, and wraps Feb. 22 in Buffalo, New York. He’ll also play an April 5 show in Columbia, South Carolina, which is a rescheduled show from September.
Following a fan club presale on Wednesday, local presales will kick off Thursday at 10 a.m., with tickets going on sale to the general public Friday at 10 a.m. Haynes will donate $1 from each ticket to help with hurricane relief.
And speaking of hurricane relief, Haynes is set to perform at the upcoming Soulshine benefit concert at New York’s Madison Square Garden on Nov. 24. If you can’t make it to the Big Apple you can still enjoy the show. The concert, which also features Dave Matthews Band, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats and Goose, will stream live at 7 p.m. ET via SoulshineMSG.com.
Additional special guests include Phish‘s Trey Anastasio, Mavis Staples, Robert Randolph, Joe Russo, Trombone Shorty, Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks.
Soulshine will raise money in support of Hurricane Helene and Milton relief efforts.
(LOS ANGELES, Calif.) — Police and relatives are pleading with the public to help find the driver who struck and killed a father of three in a hit-and-run in Los Angeles.
Oscar Guardado was riding his bike home in south Los Angeles when he was hit by a car just before 10 p.m. on Oct. 27, the Los Angeles Police Department said.
The driver fled and Guardado, 42, was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
Investigators are now asking the public to help identify the suspect’s car, described by a witness as a dark, four-door sedan, LAPD Sgt. Gabriel Nily said at a news conference Monday.
There’s no video of the collision, Nily said, but video does show many witnesses were in the area at the time.
Guardado leaves behind a 19-year-old daughter, a 17-year-old son and a 14-year-old son.
“He was the best dad for us three in every way. He never gave up on us,” Guardado’s daughter, Angeles Guardado, who started a GoFundMe for the family, told ABC News on Tuesday. “We were always his first priority. And I just want people to know that he was a hard-working dad.”
“It hurts losing a parent. And honestly, I just want to know more information” about the hit-and-run, she said. “It hurt us seeing our own father in a casket. It hurt us to see that we won’t even be getting messages from our father saying that he loves us and to be careful.”
“I really want to know who the person was, and what was the reason,” she said.
Police announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to the driver’s arrest and prosecution.
“I’m just looking for justice,” Angeles Guardado said at the news conference.
Time sure flies when you’ve earned five CMA Female Vocalist of the Year nominations like Ashley McBryde.
“Somebody said that it was the fifth time a while ago, and I was like, ‘Oh wow. Wow!'” Ashley marvels in an interview with ABC Audio before Wednesday’s show.
In addition to being a nominee, Ashley’s set to take the stage for a performance that she says is special.
“It’s not necessarily about how fancy can she sing? It’s not necessarily about how good is her band because it’s just me and a guitar,” Ashely shares. “This is about making sure what’s being honored is honored properly.”
“Sometimes that means doing less bells and whistles,” she says. “Just let the song be the song that way. That’s what’s being celebrated.”
While Ashley didn’t share the song she’s performing, she did announce on Monday that a new track, “Ain’t Enough Cowboy Songs,” is dropping Dec. 6 and will pay homage to “the ones that got us here.”
Will she be singing the unreleased “Ain’t Enough Cowboy Songs”? Find out when the 2024 CMAs air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
Nov. 19 marks the 40th anniversary of Don Henley’s sophomore solo album, Building the Perfect Beast, the follow-up to his 1982 solo debut, I Can’t Stand Still.
The album, which had the Eagles rocker working with guitarist Danny Kortchmar, as well as Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench and Stan Lynch of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, peaked at #13 on the Billboard 200 chart. It spawned four top-40 singles, including “The Boys of Summer,” which hit #5 on the Billboard Hot 100, and earned Henley a Grammy.
The song’s success can be partially credited to its video, featuring Henley singing on the back of a truck, which got a huge amount of play on MTV.
Craig Marks, co-author of I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution, tells ABC Audio that despite the video’s success — it won Video of the Year at the 1985 MTV VMAs — Henley was “a reluctant participant in the music video revolution.”
“I think Hanley said something in his acceptance speech like, ‘I just was on the back of a flatbed pickup truck, lip-synching, and I really didn’t do anything else.’ And it’s true, he didn’t,” Marks shares. “But it managed to turn Don Henley into a pop star, which is the power that MTV had in 1984 and onwards.”
Thanks to “The Boys of Summer” and the album’s other hits — “All She Wants To Do Is Dance,” which went to #9, “Not Enough Love in the World” and “Sunset Grill” — the record was a huge commercial success for Henley and has been certified three-times Platinum by the RIAA.
Henley recently celebrated Building the Perfect Beast’s anniversary with a new remastered edition of the album, available digitally and as a two-LP set.
The Luther Vandross documentary by Dawn Porter now has a release date. Luther: Never Too Much will debut on CNN New Year’s Day at 8 p.m. ET.
The documentary will chronicle Vandross’ musical journey, from his years in an Apollo Theater house band to his “ascendance to become the indisputable master of the love song,” according to CNN. Archival clips of Luther speaking will be used to tell his story, as will interviews with Mariah Carey, Dionne Warwick, Roberta Flack and more.
“We combed through hundreds of hours of interviews, concert footage and images to develop this one-of-a-kind portrait,” said Porter of Luther: Never Too Much.
The update arrives a year after the doc’s premiere at Sundance Film Festival and its fall release by Giant Pictures. Luther: Never Too Much will air on Max and OWN in 2025.
Ahead of the documentary’s CNN debut, a best-of compilation titled Never Too Much: Greatest Hits will come out on Dec. 13. It will feature Vandross’ rendition of “Michelle” by The Beatles, which just debuted at #27 on Billboard‘s Adult R&B Airplay chart.
