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‘A Different World’ original cast members to reprise roles in Netflix spinoff

December 17, 2025 by WDNY Radio

Jasmine Guy, Kadeem Hardison, Cree Summer and Darryl M. Bell are returning — in a different time and in A Different World once again.

Deadline reports the stars of the beloved ’90s sitcom will reprise their iconic roles as Whitley Gilbert, Dwayne Wayne, Freddie Brooks and Ron “Ronaldus” Johnson in an upcoming spinoff of A Different World.

The new series will center on Deborah Wayne, played by Maleah Joi Moon, the youngest daughter of Dwayne and Whitley. Viewers learned the couple were expecting their first child in the original series finale. Now a freshman at the fictional Hillman College, Deborah struggles to step out of her parents’ shadow while attempting to carve out her own identity, legacy and fun on campus.

“A Different World is back!!! YAY!! We are over the moon to bring this much-anticipated sequel with our returning legacy stars Kadeem Hardison, Jasmine Guy, Cree Summer, and Darryl M. Bell!” showrunner Felicia Pride and executive producer Debbie Allen said in a joint statement. “These beloved characters are returning in a major way that respects their history while engaging exciting storylines relevant to issues of today.”

The statement added that fans will reunite with the original characters throughout the season and see how their lives have evolved in this “real continuation of the legacy show,” while teasing additional cast surprises for longtime viewers. “We’re excited to welcome new audiences to Hillman,” they said.

The A Different World spinoff will consist of 10 half-hour episodes and will stream on Netflix. Pride will serve as showrunner and executive producer alongside Allen, who produced, directed and appeared in the original series. Allen will direct the premiere and two additional episodes.

Also starring in the series are Alijah Kai, Chibuikem Uche, Cornell Young IV, Jordan Aaron Hall and Kennedi Reece.

Rob Reiner, Michele Singer Reiner’s children speak out after Nick Reiner’s arrest on murder charges

December 17, 2025 by WDNY Radio

Jake Reiner and Romy Reiner, the children of renowned Hollywood director Rob Reiner and wife Michele Singer Reiner, are speaking out for the first time after their brother, Nick Reiner, was arrested for allegedly killing their parents.

“Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day,” Jake Reiner and Romy Reiner said in a statement released by a family spokesperson on Wednesday. “The horrific and devastating loss of our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, is something that no one should ever experience. They weren’t just our parents; they were our best friends.”

“We are grateful for the outpouring of condolences, kindness, and support we have received not only from family and friends but people from all walks of life,” Jake Reiner and Romy Reiner said. “We now ask for respect and privacy, for speculation to be tempered with compassion and humanity, and for our parents to be remembered for the incredible lives they lived and the love they gave.”

Nick Reiner, 32, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, with the special circumstance of multiple murders, for allegedly stabbing his parents to death on Sunday, according to prosecutors.

Romy Reiner is the one who found her parents’ bodies in their Brentwood home on Sunday, sources told ABC News.

Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, who met while Rob Reiner was directing When Harry Met Sally…, married in 1989 and shared three children. Rob Reiner is also survived by daughter Tracy Reiner with his first wife, Penny Marshall.

Ashley’s McBryde’s ‘Light on in the Kitchen’ now glows Gold

December 17, 2025 by WDNY Radio

Ashley McBryde‘s “Light on in the Kitchen” has just been certified Gold by the RIAA.

Ashley’s team surprised her with a plaque commemorating the milestone at her most recent Redemption Residency shows at Chief’s on Broadway in Nashville.

“Light on in the Kitchen” was the lead single from Ashley’s 2023 The Devil I Know album, and was inspired by her mother and her mother’s two sisters.

In early December Ashley established the Light On Fund, which will help causes close to her heart.

Her Redemption Residency shows at Chief’s continue in 2026, with shows in January, February, March and April.

Lady Gaga’s ‘Harlequin’ concert film to premiere at LA’s Grammy museum

December 17, 2025 by WDNY Radio

After teasing Tuesday that a film documenting Lady Gaga‘s “secret” show in 2024 to promote Harlequin was “coming soon,” a date and theater have been announced.

The Grammy Museum in LA will host the premiere screening of LADY GAGA IN HARLEQUIN LIVE — ONE NIGHT ONLY on Thursday night, with Gaga in attendance to take part in a discussion about it. As previously reported, the show that the film captures took place in September 2024 and features Gaga performing the album in its entirety.

Tickets for the screening are on sale now at GrammyMuseum.org.

According to the museum, Harlequin was Gaga’s “first jazz-inspired album since the passing of her longtime collaborator Tony Bennett.” It — and the film — feature her performing original arrangements of standards like “I’ve Got the World on a String,” “That’s Entertainment,” “Oh, When the Saints” and more. It’s currently nominated for the Grammy for best traditional pop album.

Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood nominated for 2026 SCL Awards

December 17, 2025 by WDNY Radio

Radiohead‘s Jonny Greenwood is among the nominees for the Society of Composers & Lyricists’ 2026 SCL Awards.

The guitarist’s soundtrack to the Paul Thomas Anderson movie One Battle After Another is up for the outstanding original score for a studio film prize.

The 2026 SCL Awards take place Feb. 6 in Los Angeles.

Greenwood’s One Battle After Another score is also nominated for the 2026 Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards, and is included on the 2026 Oscars short list.

A7X’s Zacky Vengeance drops debut solo song as Zachary Baker

December 17, 2025 by WDNY Radio

Avenged Sevenfold guitarist Zacky Vengeance has launched a new solo project under his birth name, Zachary Baker.

The debut Zachary Baker song is a country rocker called “Dark Horse.” You can watch its accompanying lyric video on YouTube.

“This is for the ones who never give up no matter what your story is,” Baker says in an Instagram post.

Avenged Sevenfold has previously showcased Baker’s singing on their annual Halloween Misfits covers, which feature his lead vocals.

Baker will be back to shredding with A7X on their 2026 tour with Good Charlotte, which kicks off in July. The band also released a new song, “Magic,” earlier in December.

Grahame Lesh announces concerts celebrating his late father, Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh

December 17, 2025 by WDNY Radio

The life and career of Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh will once again be celebrated with a series of concerts at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York.

Phil’s son Grahame Lesh has announced dates for Unbroken Chain: A Celebration of the Life & Music of Phil Lesh. The shows will take place March 12-15, on what would have been Phil’s 86th birthday weekend.

Phil celebrated several birthdays onstage at the Capitol Theatre, including his 84th birthday in March 2024. He passed away that October. Grahame held the first Unbroken Chain shows in March 2025.

“We had a beautiful, emotional celebration at the Cap last March, which established such a beautiful new tradition at a place that has become like a 2nd home for my dad and my family in the past 13 years or so,” Grahame wrote on Instagram. “I’m so grateful to all of these beautiful musicians on these lineups – my dad’s friends (& Friends!), bandmates, collaborators, and this year some wonderful musicians who never got to play with my dad but are an integral part of keeping this music moving forward.”

This year’s lineup includes Dead & Company’s Oteil Burbridge, North Mississippi Allstars‘ Luther Dickinson, guitarist Daniel Donato and Goose’s Rick Mitarotonda.

Tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. local time.

Proceeds from the shows will benefit the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund. Last year’s concerts raised over $250,000 for charity.

The Oscars will stream for free on YouTube starting in 2029

December 17, 2025 by WDNY Radio

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has partnered with YouTube.

A multiyear deal has been signed that grants YouTube the exclusive global rights to the Oscars starting in 2029 and going until 2033.

This means that the Oscars awards ceremony itself, red carpet coverage, behind-the-scenes content, Governors Ball access and more will be available live and to watch for free around the world on YouTube and to YouTube TV subscribers in the U.S.

YouTube also plans to make the Oscars more accessible by offering features such as closed captioning and audio tracks available in several different languages.

ABC has aired the Oscars broadcast for decades and has the rights to the telecast through the 100th annual awards ceremony, which will take place in 2028.

“We are thrilled to enter into a multifaceted global partnership with YouTube to be the future home of the Oscars and our year-round Academy programming,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor said in a statement. “The Academy is an international organization, and this partnership will allow us to expand access to the work of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience possible — which will be beneficial for our Academy members and the film community. This collaboration will leverage YouTube’s vast reach and infuse the Oscars and other Academy programming with innovative opportunities for engagement while honoring our legacy. We will be able to celebrate cinema, inspire new generations of filmmakers and provide access to our film history on an unprecedented global scale.”

Neal Mohan, CEO of YouTube, said, “Partnering with the Academy to bring this celebration of art and entertainment to viewers all over the world will inspire a new generation of creativity and film lovers while staying true to the Oscars’ storied legacy.”

Disney is the parent company of ABC and ABC News.

Coco Jones says fiancé Donovan Mitchell DM’d her years before they started dating

December 17, 2025 by WDNY Radio

Coco Jones‘ fiancé, Donovan Mitchell, was interested in her long before they met. She tells Complex’s Tiffany Hunt that he’d actually slid into her DMs years back.

“He had known of me years before [we met] because Bel-Air had done a collab with his shoe line, so he’d kind of seen the show before it came out, and he was like, ‘Who that?’ And he said he hit me up on Instagram,” Coco recalled. “I ain’t see it though.”

The message he sent, according to Coco, was “something with a red heart.”

“I’m like, ‘Oh, good, that wouldn’t have worked anyway. I don’t want no heart, I don’t know you,’” Coco said of her reaction, adding that they were destined to be together.

“That’s how you know it’s above us. It’s God,” she said. “We’re meant to be.”

Coco and Donovan met at a “celebrity type of event,” started dating in 2023 and announced their engagement in July 2025. She clarified that she never tried to “hide” him, though she was intentional about keeping their relationship private.

Coco also shared that Donovan inspired her Why Not More? track “You” and appeared on the intro of her song “Thang 4 U.”

“He’s the voice on there, talking,” Coco said. “I don’t know if people can clock that, but I feel like Why Not More? is kind of the Coco leading up to being in love. … My next project will be just me in love.”

Rob and Michele Reiner’s children speak out after Nick Reiner’s arrest on murder charges

December 17, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(LOS ANGELES) — Jake and Romy Reiner, the children of renowned Hollywood director Rob Reiner and wife Michele Singer Reiner, are speaking out for the first time after their brother, Nick Reiner, was arrested for allegedly killing their parents.

“Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day,” Jake and Romy Reiner said in a statement released by a family spokesperson on Wednesday. “The horrific and devastating loss of our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, is something that no one should ever experience. They weren’t just our parents; they were our best friends.”

“We are grateful for the outpouring of condolences, kindness, and support we have received not only from family and friends but people from all walks of life,” Jake and Romy Reiner said. “We now ask for respect and privacy, for speculation to be tempered with compassion and humanity, and for our parents to be remembered for the incredible lives they lived and the love they gave.”

Nick Reiner, 32, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, with the special circumstance of multiple murders, for allegedly stabbing his parents to death on Sunday, according to prosecutors.

The Reiners’ daughter is the one who found her parents’ bodies in their Brentwood home on Sunday, sources told ABC News.

Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, who met while Rob Reiner was directing “When Harry Met Sally…,” married in 1989 and share three children: Jake, Nick and Romy. Rob Reiner is also survived by daughter Tracy Reiner with his first wife, Penny Marshall.

ABC News’ Brooke Stangeland contributed to this report.

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