Whitesnake frontman David Coverdale has certainly had an interesting life and career, but fans shouldn’t expect to read about it anytime soon. The singer recently appeared on the Paltrocast podcast, where he put an end to any thought of him telling his life story in a memoir.
Coverdale had previously suggested on Twitter that he was thinking about working on a memoir, jokingly calling it How White Was My Snake? But when asked about it, he denied it was going to happen.
“The problem is I can’t do it, because I can’t not be honest about this, that and the other, who’s the inspiration (for) this song, who was that,” he said. “It would be a spilling of the beans, which I’m not interested in hurting anybody, and particularly my family.”
He also said his wife was totally against his suggested title, noting she thought it was “too diminishing to my legacy.”
But even if there’s no book, Coverdale does have something in store that fans may love. He notes, “I’ve been working now with my head of video on another concept which I think could be significantly more interesting and not as f****** boring as a biography.”
He went on to explain that they are going to start a “QT with DC” in which he’ll answer questions from fans, although he says he won’t talk about his ex Tawny Kitaen, who he calls “an amazing memory.” “I think it’s just respectful to people I’ve worked with,” he says. “Some of the aspects were unsavory. That’s for me to know, really, and to clear it from my space.”
For a guy who’s as proud of his Scottish heritage as Rod Stewart is, it’s amazing that he hasn’t thought of this before: He’s officially launching his own brand of Scotch whisky.
Rod’s announced that “after almost two years of development and dozens of whisky tastings,” he ready to unviel what he calls his “latest venture” — Wolfie’s Whisky.
Starting June 6, fans who signed up for Rod’s mailing list will get special access to purchase the spirits 72 hours before anyone else. Wolfie’s is going on sale first in the U.K. and select European countries, and it’ll launch in the U.S. in July.
“The rest of the world…..we’re working on it!” he adds.
In other Rod news, he’s paid tribute to the late Tina Turner, with whom he performed and recorded over the years. In fact, he invited her to perform with him on Saturday NightLive in 1981, when her career was at a low point. In 1990, they had a hit with their duet “It Takes Two.”
“I’m devastated, what a women!” he wrote on Instagram, alongside a photo of himself, Tina and his former Faces band mate, Ron Wood. “‘It takes two’ – but there was only one Tina Turner.”
The new movie You Hurt My Feelings is about all the little white lies we tell the people we love, in order to not hurt their feelings. Julia Louis-Dreyfus plays an author married to a therapist, played by Tobias Menzies. They’re a perfectly happy couple, until she realizes he doesn’t like her new novel and has been lying to her about it.
Nicole Holofcener, who wrote and directed the film, which is out this weekend, tells ABC Audio it came from a personal place.
“I think it initially came from a fear that people are lying to me or that somebody really close to me doesn’t like my films, and yet they like me. And can they like me if they don’t like my films? And, you know, feeling way too connected to my career, like my career is me,” she explains.
Adds Holofcener, “I hope that couples turn around to each other and start asking questions. And I’m sure there are plenty of lies in the answers. You know, it’s like, does my a** look fat in this? I mean, it’s really opening up a can of worms.”
When it comes to her work, Louis-Dreyfus says she “would like to have the truth, please.” However, she’d like to have the truth “delivered kindly. Yeah, Kindness, I think, is the mitigating factor.”
Menzies agrees, noting that “Even though it can be very uncomfortable, ultimately, I would rather have the truth and then kind of, yeah, try and work it out from there.”
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Wednesday’s sports events:
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INTERLEAGUE
Texas 3, Pittsburgh 2
Milwaukee 4, Houston 0
Minnesota 7, San Francisco 1
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Chi White Sox 6, Cleveland 0
Tampa Bay 7, Toronto 3
Baltimore 9, NY Yankees 6
Detroit 6, Kansas City 4
LA Angels 7, Boston 3
Seattle 6, Oakland 1
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Philadelphia 6, Arizona 5
Cincinnati 10, St. Louis 3
Washington 5, San Diego 3
Chi Cubs 4, NY Mets 2
Atlanta 4, LA Dodgers 3
Miami 10, Colorado 2
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Florida 4, Carolina 3 (Florida wins 4-0)
(WASHINGTON) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ novel way to kick off his 2024 presidential campaign — via a live Twitter event featuring one of the world’s most famous businessmen — was hamstrung on Wednesday night by the most ordinary of internet obstacles: spotty technology.
DeSantis had planned to begin his appearance with Twitter owner Elon Musk at 6 p.m. ET on Wednesday.
But repeated issues and crashes delayed the start of the Twitter Spaces audio event for almost 30 minutes. At one point, it was abruptly ended and then restarted — all as Musk and others could apparently be heard discussing the issues behind the scenes.
Musk suggested during the broadcast that the problems were due to a strain on the platform’s servers and “scaling issues” because his own account was involved and has a following of 140 million users.
Once Twitter Spaces appeared to stabilize, and after being reintroduced by moderator David Sacks — who quipped that “I think we melted the internet” — DeSantis declared, “I am running for president of the United States to lead our great American comeback.”
“We know our country’s going in the wrong direction. We see it with our eyes and we feel it in our bones,” he said, going on to criticize current policies at the southern border, on crime and public safety and on the cost of living for middle-class families.
President Joe Biden, DeSantis said, lacked the “vigor” to lead while letting himself be led by the “woke mob.”
The event, which is ongoing, had more than half a million people attending in the beginning and later on had about 260,000 listeners.
After DeSantis gave a brief stump speech about why he is running for president, the event segued into a moderated question-and-answer session where DeSantis has been addressing topics including COVID-19, his legal fight with Disney (ABC News’ parent company), the news media, immigration and more.
Earlier Wednesday, the Florida governor filed paperwork for his presidential campaign with the Federal Election Commission. Shortly before the Twitter event, he released a video announcing his White House bid.
He enters the race as former President Donald Trump’s biggest challenger for the Republican nomination.
Both Biden and Trump’s team quickly seized on the issues with the Twitter Spaces.
“Glitchy. Tech issues. Uncomfortable silences. A complete failure to launch. And that’s just the candidate!” a Trump campaign spokesperson said in a statement.
Meanwhile, tweeting a link to a donation page, Biden’s campaign wrote on Twitter: “This link works.”
Even some DeSantis supporters said they were dismayed.
One backer, a veteran GOP strategist who asked not to be quoted by name, said that “technical glitches are not good foreshadowing” and predicted it would be labeled a “#DeSaster,” but said, “They’ll spin it that the demand was too huge. He’s too popular.”
ABC News’ Tal Axelrod and Soo Rin Kim contributed to this report.
(WASHINGTON) — The Biden administration is investigating claims that American munitions initially supplied to the Ukrainian government have been used in a rare cross-border attack on Russia by groups of anti-Kremlin assailants, U.S. officials said on Wednesday.
“We’re looking into those reports that the U.S. equipment and vehicles could have been involved,” White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters.
Matthew Miller, the State Department’s spokesperson, said that while U.S. policy against using weapons supplied to Ukraine outside of the country’s borders is clear, the exact circumstances surrounding recent attacks on Russian soil were not — yet.
“We have not reached any conclusions,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to prejudge either the outcome or when we’ll reach that outcome.”
Still, Miller’s comments marked a notable shift from earlier in the week when administration officials expressed skepticism about reports circulating online alleging that U.S.-supplied weapons were fueling the incursion.
On Tuesday, Miller said the accusations were being leveled by “armchair intelligence analysts” and based off of “fuzzy pictures on social media.”
But on Wednesday, he said, “Since then, there have obviously been media reports with additional images. We’re looking into those reports.”
The Pentagon has confirmed that no third-party transfer agreements from Ukraine to paramilitary groups have been approved by Washington or requested by Kyiv.
While Miller declined to say what consequences Ukrainian officials could face if the U.S. assesses the claims are accurate, sources within the administration say that determination will very likely be made at the highest level of the federal government.
The recent spate of attacks on Belgorod, a Russian oblast just over 20 miles from the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, picked up on Monday, with drone footage capturing plumes of smoke over the region and local officials reporting that “Ukrainian saboteurs” had broken across the frontlines.
The Russian Volunteer Corps and Freedom of Russia Legion — two Russian paramilitary groups cooperating with Ukraine — have taken credit for conducting the operation.
Leaders from both forces have also said that they received weaponry, intelligence and guidance from Ukraine to carry out their mission, which one described as “ongoing.”
A spokesperson for the Ukrainian government asserted that the two organizations were behind the attacks but denied that Ukraine had played any role.
Belgorod’s governor said that at least one Russian civilian was killed and that eight have been wounded, and Moscow has promised to retaliate.
While the fog of war has made verifying any of the assertions surrounding the attacks in Belgorod exceedingly difficult, U.S. officials have a vested interest in determining whether American weapons and equipment were used — both to avoid the risk of fueling escalation with Moscow and to ensure Kyiv is properly managing lethal assistance in repelling Russia’s invasion.
ABC News’ Tom Soufi Burridge, Benjamin Gittleson and Matt Seyler contributed to this report.
(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden plans to nominate Gen. “CQ” Brown, the current Air Force chief of staff, to be the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the White House said Wednesday, elevating the four-star general to be the senior military adviser to the president.
Biden will announce his intent to nominate Brown in a Rose Garden ceremony on Thursday, the White House said.
At 61, Charles Quinton Brown Jr. would succeed Gen. Mark Milley as chairman if the Senate confirms him, and would be the second Black Joint Chiefs chairman after Army Gen. Colin Powell. Also, for the first time in history, the Pentagon’s top two leaders, the current secretary of defense, Lloyd Austin, and the Joint Chiefs chairman, would be Black men.
An Air Force F-16 fighter pilot who became an officer after completing his undergraduate degree in engineering in 1984, Brown rose through the ranks to become a general in 2009. He held senior leadership roles in the Middle East beginning in 2015, and in 2018 took command of Pacific Air Forces, America’s presence in the skies of the Indo-Pacific.
After being nominated by former President Donald Trump in 2020, the Senate confirmed Brown 98-0 to be chief of staff of the Air Force. His nomination now to lead the military’s service chiefs comes as Milley’s tenure comes to a mandated end in September. Milley came to have a notoriously strained relationship with Trump, who had chosen him to be chairman.
As Biden’s senior adviser in uniform, Brown would be called to contend with a growing Chinese military presence where he once led American airmen, the Indo-Pacific.
Heather Wilson, a former congresswoman and secretary of the Air Force who served with Brown, told ABC News his experience in the region makes him a good fit for the moment.
“There is no more important adversary or potential adversary now than China,” she said. “And he has that experience. I think even more than just understanding the strategic landscape of the Pacific, he has started to build relationships with our allies. And one of the things that America has that’s an advantage is that we have allies. China generally does not. Their neighbors are afraid of them.”
Brown’s personal character would be a plus, Wilson said.
“This position, if he’s confirmed, has a role in relationships with our allies in deepening those partnerships of trust. And if there’s one thing CQ Brown has demonstrated it’s that he’s a man that you can trust. And I think that will be very important as we deepen our alliances in the Pacific,” she said.
The threat is different from the one U.S. leaders have come to know in the Middle East, according to Wilson.
“I think that’s a challenge because for the last thirty years, we have really been focusing on terrorist threats all around the world and not necessarily crisis or conflict with a near-peer adversary. That’s different. Particularly, a technologically advanced near-peer adversary. So, he has to think about warfare in all of its domains. When we have not had to do that against ISIS and Al Qaeda,” she said.
Brown, in a video message spread widely in June 2020, reckoned publicly with the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, an injustice he felt compelled to discuss as a senior military leader who was often the first or the only Black man in his position. He said his son asked him how the Air Force would respond to Floyd’s killing, and he knew he needed to speak out.
“I’m thinking about how full I am with emotion not just for George Floyd, but the many African Americans that have suffered the same fate as George Floyd,” he said. “I’m thinking about a history of racial issues and my own experiences that didn’t always sing of liberty and equality.”
When Wilson saw the video, she said she “was really proud of him. He had a sense of what airmen needed to hear from him. And as a leader, he was in a unique position to stand up and say so. And – I think – I was really proud of him.”
Wilson pointed to the admission of women to service academies for the first time in 1976 as the sort of breakthrough Brown’s nomination represents.
“I think this country has benefited from that. We have a stronger national defense because you use the gifts that everyone brings to the table,” she said.
Joining ABC’s “GMA3” last February, Brown told ABC News, “You can only aspire to be what you can see. And hopefully by me being in this position, I’ll inspire many young people to open doors for not just in the military, but just really across the country, to be in a great position to — just like this.”
Brown’s “style is different,” Wilson said. “But that’s okay…Different secretaries of defense and different presidents need different things.”
“One of the things that CQ does well is listen, and this is in a town where there’s a lot more people who want to talk than listen and who listens and understands and synthesizes problems. He asks good questions and then is able to crystallize what the big issues are.”
ABC News’ Matthew Seyler and Ben Gittleson contributed to this report.
Margot Robbie teases what’s to come in the upcoming Barbie movie in Vogue‘s new summer issue.
The actress, who stars as the titular doll and is also producing the film through her production company, LuckyChap Entertainment, told the outlet that recognizing the iconic brand’s impact was important, along with recognizing those who aren’t fans of it.
“We of course would want to honor the 60-year legacy that this brand has,” she said in the cover story. “But we have to acknowledge that there are a lot of people who aren’t fans of Barbie.”
She continued, “And in fact, aren’t just indifferent to Barbie. They actively hate Barbie. And have a real issue with Barbie. We need to find a way to acknowledge that.”
The actress said that after reading the script from Greta Gerwig, who directed the film, and Noah Baumbach, she thought it was “genius.”
Speaking to the outlet about transforming into her character, Robbie said she struggled at first to devise methods to immerse herself into her role.
She said Gerwig then gave her a podcast recommendation that honed in on a woman without an inner monologue, which was helpful in her process.
Robbie also worked to examine the hypersexualization of the doll.
“I’m like, Okay, she’s a doll. She’s a plastic doll,” she told Vogue. “She doesn’t have organs. If she doesn’t have organs, she doesn’t have reproductive organs. If she doesn’t have reproductive organs, would she even feel sexual desire? No, I don’t think she could.”
“She is sexualized. But she should never be sexy,” Robbie continued.
Along with Robbie, the other Barbies in the film include Ritu Arya, Nicola Coughlan, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae and Alexandra Shipp.
The movie, also starring Ryan Gosling as Ken, arrives in theaters July 21.
Bassett saluting Turner in 2021/ Kevin Kane/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
With the news that iconic performer Tina Turner died on Wednesday, May 24, at age 83 came a flood of messages from her famous fans on social media.
Here are just some of the stars who shared their thoughts.
What’s Love Got to Do With It Oscar nominee Angela Bassett released a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, noting in part, “Through her courage in telling her story, her commitment to stay the course in her life, no matter the sacrifice, and her determination to carve out a space in rock and roll for herself and for others who look like her, Tina Turner showed others who lived in fear what a beautiful future filled with love, compassion, and freedom should look like.”
She added, “Her final words to me — for me — were ‘You never mimicked me. Instead, you reached deep into your soul, found your inner Tina, and showed her to the world.’ I shall hold these words close to my heart for the rest of my days. I am honored to have known Tina Turner.”
Viola Davis: “Iconic. Beautiful. A survivor. Brilliance. Our first symbol of excellence and unbridled ownership of sexuality!! You were my childhood. Oh man!!! God is getting an angel today!!! Rest well Ms. Tina Turner. We will bask in your legacy!!!”
Forrest Whitaker: “Tina Turner was an icon, whom we loved for her voice, her dancing, and her spirit. As we honor her, let’s also reflect on her resilience, and think about all the greatness that can follow our darkest days. Thank you for sharing your gifts with us, Tina. You’re simply the best.”
Rosario Dawson replied to the official announcement on Turner’s Instagram: “Rejoice In Paradise Queen. Legends Never Die. Rest In Power.”
Andy Cohen: “SIMPLY THE BEST BEST BEST. WE LOVE YOU TINA”
Gary Gershoff/Getty Images for Songwriters Hall Of Fame
Tom Petty’s family is suing a Boston-area auction house that they claim is selling Petty items they believe to be stolen.
RR Auction recently announced an auction of Petty’s personal property, but the family is asking fans and collectors not to shell out any money until the legal dispute is resolved. The family believes the auction items, which include jackets, hats, vests, autographed memorabilia and other exclusive items, were taken from a secure storage archive.
“We believe RR Auction, headquartered in Boston, is offering stolen Tom Petty memorabilia with a completely false provenance inaccurate to fact and in complete denial of clear evidence they have been presented,” reads a statement from the family. “They will not disclose the cosigner who has provided these items or how they were acquired. But they are clearly stolen, there is no other word for it.”
They add, “These items have irreplaceable sentimental and educational value for the family and legacy of Tom Petty and we look forward to their safe return.”
The RR Auction site still lists several Petty items, with the sale running through June 22.
