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Joe Jonas reveals he ‘crashed and burned’ while auditioning for ‘The Morning Show’

May 28, 2026 by WDNY Radio

When they’re not doing music stuff as Jonas Brothers, Joe Jonas and Nick Jonas also act. But just because they’re famous doesn’t mean they get every part they go up for. In the latest episode of the brothers’ podcast, Hey Jonas!, Joe recalls the time he blew an audition for an Emmy-winning Apple TV series.

Explaining why being early doesn’t always work out, Joe told a story about auditioning for The Morning Show; specifically, for the role of a news anchor who’d be a love interest for one of the show’s stars, Jennifer Aniston. Joe showed up early, so they put him in a private room. But that meant that while he was waiting his turn, he could hear all the other actors auditioning “clear as day” and got intimidated.

“These guys were crushing it,” Joe recalled. “I didn’t bring headphones so I’m just like literally sitting in silence, reading the lines … and I go in and I just, like, crash and burn.” It seems he made the mistake of saying he didn’t need a script, then proceeded to forget all his lines.

When Nick asked him if that was his “worst” audition, Joe mentioned that something similar happened when he tried out for the part of Fiyero in the Wicked movies.

“There were, like, incredible theater vocalists I could hear, clear as day,” Joe recalled. He didn’t get that part either.

Nick then shared that he blew an audition when he met with the director, and asked him who was directing the movie. And Kevin Jonas revealed that when they were younger, he was told to his face, “I can clearly tell you don’t have any acting experience.”

Good thing they’ll always have music to fall back on.

‘Hate Me,’ 20 years later: Blue October revisits signature hit with 20th anniversary ‘Foiled’ reissue

May 28, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Blue October will release a vinyl reissue of their 2006 album Foiled on Friday in honor of its 20th anniversary. The original album spawned the single “Hate Me,” which remains Blue October’s signature song.

Speaking with ABC Audio, frontman Justin Furstenfeld recalls his mindset when he was first writing “Hate Me.”

“My initial hopes for the song was to explain why I kept messing up relationships and choosing drugs and dark ways, sick ways of living over normal, healthy girlfriend relationships,” Furstenfeld says.

The vinyl Foiled reissue includes an acoustic version of “Hate Me,” which puts an even greater emphasis on Furstenfeld’s lyrics about cockroaches and porno in between the song’s anthemic chorus.

In recording the acoustic version, Furstenfeld says he was inspired by late country icon Johnny Cash’s famed cover of the Nine Inch Nails song “Hurt.”

“It was just all about the words, and sung down and sung really low with just an acoustic and this rumbling voice,” Furstenfeld says.

Furstenfeld adds that country music has long been a part of his life.

“I grew up on a lot of country music, and dark country, like, cocaine cowboy kinda country,” he says. “And my dad loved it.”

Channeling all that into an acoustic recording of “Hate Me” results in a song Furstenfeld describes as “the one you would hear at a bar where you kinda went, ‘OK, maybe I should chill out.'”

Blue October will be performing Foiled in full on a U.S. tour kicking off in October.

Lou Gramm on being back out on the road: ‘I get excited about seeing a large audience’

May 28, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Original Foreigner frontman Lou Gramm is currently on tour and tells ABC Audio that getting out on a stage is something he loves to do.

“I get excited about seeing a large audience,” he says, “and then running out there and starting the first song is incredibly exciting.”

The tour follows the March release of Gramm’s new solo album, Released, which is made up of songs the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer recorded in the 1980s that didn’t make it onto his previous solo albums.

On tour, fans can expect a mix of solo singles like “Midnight Blue,” and Foreigner tunes like “Cold As Ice” and “Hot Blooded,” plus songs from the new album.

As for which new songs he’s most excited to perform, Gramm notes, “They’re all special. I mean, we took 2 1/2 years putting a lot of songs together, and picking songs that sounded the best and different from each other.”

And while Gramm still loves to perform, he does admit that at 76 he’s just not up for long tours anymore.

“I don’t have the stamina, and my mind starts to wander,” he says. “I enjoy playing and I enjoy performing to an audience and it’s a lot of fun, but an hour and a half set is taxing to an old bird like me, you know?”

Gramm is set to play Stamford, Connecticut, on Thursday, with the tour wrapping Oct. 8 in Columbia, South Carolina. A complete list of dates can be found at LouGrammOfficial.com.

‘Deli Boys’ stars Saagar Shaikh, Asif Ali unpack season 2

May 28, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Deli Boys is back for more.

The Hulu comedy series has returned for season 2. The show follows two Pakistani-American brothers who lose everything when their convenience store-magnate father suddenly dies. They’re forced to reckon with their father’s secret double life in the crime world as they try to take up his mantle.

Saagar Shaikh and Asif Ali star as Raj Dar and Mir Dar in the series. Season 1 ended with the brothers uncovering who was responsible for their father’s death. The actors told ABC Audio what fans can expect in the aftermath of that discovery throughout season 2.

Ali says Mir “has the confidence of whatever his plan is for the business.”

“He’s using that to do whatever it takes to make sure that the business is secure. But the recklessness is in his lack of consideration for the family,” Ali said. “He’s foregoing his personal life and everyone in the interest of making sure that DarCo is #1.”

As for Raj, Shaikh says “he’s trying to get back to the person he used to be” in the wake of learning Ahmad (Brian George) was responsible for his father’s death.

“But in order to get there, he has to finish this guy off, because this guy is living rent-free in his mind. And he can’t be the vibes guy if this guy is always on Raj’s mind,” Shaikh tells ABC Audio.

As for how season 2 differs from season 1, Shaik says it’s faster and punchier this time around. Ali agrees, saying, “You’re just right into the roller coaster and it just doesn’t let up until the end.”

All six episodes of Deli Boys season 2 are available to watch on Hulu now.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News and Hulu.

AWOLNATION side project The Barbarians of California announce new album

May 27, 2026 by WDNY Radio

The Barbarians of California, AWOLNATION frontman Aaron Bruno’s hardcore side project, have announced a new album.

The record is called MEGATONS and is due out Aug. 21. It’s the sophomore follow-up to the 2024 Barbarians debut, And Now I’m Just Gnashing My Teeth.

“Everyone has heard of the sophomore slump,” says Barbarians member Eric Stenman. “Making a second album can be a fraught process full of overthinking and self-doubt. Perhaps, the benefit of us starting this band, at this later point in our lives, relieves some of that pressure. This felt so easy, and is a seamless continuation of whatever we started with the first batch of song — just bigger and better.”

MEGATONS includes the previously released songs “VANILLA LATTE,” “BOMB TO A KNIFE FIGHT” and “MODERN FASHION.” A fourth cut, titled “THE GNARLYCORE CLASS,” is out now.

The Barbarians will be opening for two dates on Guns N’ Roses upcoming tour in August and September. They’re also playing a run of headlining shows in September.

AWOLNATION’s most recent album is 2024’s The Phantom Five.

Bret Michaels performing at Freedom 250 Great American State Fair in Washington, DC

May 27, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Poison frontman Bret Michael is performing at the Freedom 250 Great American State Fair, celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States.

The festival takes place June 25 through July 10 at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Admission is free.

The lineup also includes Flo Rida, Morris Day & The Time, Vanilla Ice, Milli Vanilli, The Commodores, Young MC and C+C Music Factory.

For more info, visit the Freedom 250 Instagram.

‘I don’t care about the midterms’: Trump makes clear he’s in no rush to reach deal with Iran

May 27, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump said during a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday that he isn’t concerned about making a deal soon with Iran, adding that he doesn’t “care about the midterms” in what he said he thinks is the regime’s calculation that he has to negotiate a deal before what are expected to be highly-competitive elections in November.

“They thought they were going to out-wait me, you know. ‘We’ll out-wait him. He’s got the midterms.’ I don’t care about the midterms. Look what happened last night, that was a prelude to the midterms. People understand it,” Trump said, likely referencing his endorsed candidate, Ken Paxton, winning the Senate Republican runoff in Texas.

With tensions escalating with Iran and gas prices still up across the country, Trump said he feels no urgency to end the war.

“Mr. President, you’ve said that you’re in no rush to make a deal, but with gas prices that are still high across the country, people are paying more for travel. Does that give you more urgency to make a deal? Why doesn’t it?” ABC News Senior Political Correspondent Rachel Scott asked Trump during the Cabinet meeting.

“Well, I’ll tell you, the primary urgency, I’ve said this, it wasn’t covered properly, but the primary urgency is that we can’t let Iran have a nuclear weapon,” Trump responded.

The president also appeared to issue a new threat against Oman, a key American ally in the Middle East.

Trump said he would not accept a short-term deal that allows Iran and Oman to control the Strait of Hormuz — as reported in Iranian state media, and that the critical shipping lane will be “open to everybody.”

“Oman will behave just like everybody else or we’ll have to blow them up. They understand that,” Trump said.

Trump on Wednesday was asked whether he would consider easing any sanctions on Iran. He said no.

“No, we’re not talking about any easing of sanctions or giving money. No sanctions, no money, no nothing,” Trump said. “We have control of money that they claim is theirs. We’ll keep control of that money. And when they behave properly and when they do what’s right, we’ll let them have their money. But right now, we’re not doing that … One thing is not contingent on the other.”

The comments come after a senior administration official told reporters over the weekend that Iran could be rewarded with a lifting of sanctions and unfreezing of assets in exchange for a deal on its nuclear program.

On the status of negotiations, Trump said on Wednesday he’s “not satisfied” and that Iran is “negotiating on fumes.”

“We’re not satisfied with it, but we will be. We will be. Either that or we’ll have to just finish the job,” Trump said.

Music notes: Ariana Grande, Ed Sheeran and more

May 27, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Ariana Grande has announced that the video for her new single, “hate that i made you love me,” will be out Monday at 11 a.m. ET. She’s posted a snippet of her riding in the back seat of a car, driven by a desperate-looking guy. Just as the video ends, we hear her sing one word of the song: “I.” The song itself drops Friday.

In other Ariana Grande news, her Wicked co-star Cynthia Erivo tells Variety that during the seemingly endless press tours for the two films, “I think that people didn’t really believe that we were actually friends. But that’s also because people don’t know me very well. If I’m a friend, then I’m a friend.” According to Cynthia, she and Ari still text “almost every day.”

For the eighth time in 11 years, Ed Sheeran is the most-played artist across radio, TV and public places in the U.K. According to PPL, which licenses the use of recorded music in that country, Ed’s songs are played an average of 574 times per day, or 24 times per hour.

In her song “Adult Size Medium,” Hilary Duff sings, “Was it a sip of wine or Aperol?” So it’s not surprising that the orange apéritif is now an official sponsor of her upcoming lucky me tour. That means there will be Aperol Spritz Day Club pre-show experiences at select tour venues, bars and restaurants in cities Hilary visits. Plus, fans in select cities who are 21 and over can enter to win tickets to the show by registering at aperolsharethemoment.com.

BLACKPINK’s dance video for “How You Like That” has hit 2 billion views; it’s their third video to hit that milestone, following “Kill This Love” and “DDU-DU DDU-DU.”

Madonna describes the ‘most respectful way’ to listen to new album, ‘Confessions II’

May 27, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Madonna wrote on Instagram Wednesday of her new album, “Confessions II is a love letter to dance music and to all the spaces and communities that create it or enjoy it. The dance floor isn’t about a specific space or building, it’s wherever we gather to dance, celebrate and connect.” But in the same post, she recommends that when listening to the album, people not gather together.

To promote the album, Madonna has teamed with Bilt.com, which helps members earn rewards based on their monthly housing payments. In a video to promote the partnership, Madonna is asked to describe the “ideal way” fans should listen to Confessions II.

“By yourself, with nobody around and no distractions, from start to finish,” she replies. “That’s the most respectful way to listen to the album.”

As part of her Bilt partnership, Madonna is offering Bilt members a version of the album with exclusive artwork. But perhaps the most interesting aspect of the partnership is that Bilt is paying one month of studio rent for every musician who is currently leasing space at The Music Building, a rehearsal space in midtown Manhattan where Madonna lived when she was a struggling artist with no money.

She says in a statement, “As much as I struggled when I showed up here with nothing, I look back very fondly on this time in my life. The creativity, diversity and community of artists all supporting each other while having the freedom to experiment is something I would have never experienced in another place.”

Members will also have a chance to win rent payments of up to $2,500.

Little Big Town and Miranda Lambert will be ‘Live from Sky Deck’ during CMA Fest

May 27, 2026 by WDNY Radio

In what’s become a CMA Fest tradition, MCA will take over Nashville’s Skydeck on Broadway for two days during the annual country music extravaganza.

Performances kick off Friday, June 5, with Saturday, June 6, starting with Miranda Lambert’s Crisco Disco Brunch.

Little Big Town, Wyatt Flores, Dalton Davis, Deanna Carter, Lamont Landers, Landon Smith, Jacob Hackworth, Travis Denning and more are set to play.

Admission for MCA Presents: Live from Sky Deck is free, you just need to register online. If you can’t make it in person, you can check out the performances on Universal Music Live’s Twitch channel.

The Little Big Town set will be the band’s only performance during CMA Fest 2026.

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