Luke Combs is tipping his hat to Miranda Lambert this Women’s History Month. In a recent statement to the press, Luke says his “Outrunnin’ Your Memory” duet partner is an inspiration and an artist who’s shaped his artistry.
“I think it’s hard to say that Miranda Lambert hasn’t influenced my music a ton,” Luke reflects. “You know, right around the time that I started playing guitar, you know, she was coming into prominence in this genre and was putting out really great, really impactful songs she was writing.”
“And so, you know, anybody that writes their own stuff and sings great and performs great is someone that’s truly inspiring to me,” he adds.
Luke and Miranda’s “Outrunnin’ Your Memory” is featured in his 2022 album, Growin’ Up. Luke’s highly anticipated new record, Gettin’ Old, will drop this Friday, March 24.
*NSYNC‘s Joey Fatone says where he is in life right now is the product of hard work — not luck.
Catching up with ABC Audio at 90s Con in Hartford, Connecticut, Fatone noted, “People just think things happen overnight, but people also go, ‘Oh, you got lucky.’ I might have gotten lucky with *NSYNC in the sense of the timing of it… but then it’s how I moved my career through that. Luck didn’t have to do with that.”
After *NSYNC went on an indefinite “hiatus” in 2002, Joey joined several Broadway productions such as Little Shop of Horrors, hosted multiple shows and even competed on a few, like Dancing with the Stars.
“I’ve always loved entertainment… the hunger is the entertainment value of it and learning different things or ways about entertainment,” he said about the fire that drives him to continue seeking out new opportunities. He says he wants to learn everything he can about the entertainment industry.
So, what’s next? Joey hinted he’s been dabbling with working behind the camera, like producing. The singer previously dipped his toes in with the 2020 short Fetal Fury: Escape the Womb. He also hinted of potential documentary work on the horizon.
“It’s just fun. I’m not like, ‘Ooh, I’m a guru. I need to do this because I’m amazing.’ No, I’m testing out to see … maybe there might be a different avenue that I may go to and do something different,” said Joey.
Part of the hustle also includes doing multiple conventions, which is something Joey loves to do. “I’m a people person, so I love talking to people and it’s fun to do these things,” he said.
As for a life lesson, Joey imparted, “You take it for what it’s worth and you make the best of it.”
Here’s a unique experience few Beatles fans will want to pass up. Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Camp’s upcoming summer session will give participants a chance to jam with the iconic band’s original drummer Pete Best.
Best will take part in The Camp from July 13 to 16 in New York, with Aerosmith bassist Tom Hamilton and Rolling Stones bassist Darryl Jonesalso confirmed for the weekend, along with “more surprise guests.”
“I am looking forward to jamming with and meeting all the amazing campers and sharing stories and licks!,” Best shares.
As most Beatles fans know, Best was the Beatles first drummer and performed his first show with them in August of 1960. He was fired from the group in 1962, before the band gained worldwide success, and was replaced by Ringo Starr.
Now in its 27th year, Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Camp offers music fans a once-in-a-lifetime chance to perform with their musical heroes. More information on how to sign up can be found at rockcamp.com.
Selena Gomez is giving fans a glimpse into a day on the set of Only Murders In The Building.
Taking to social media Tuesday, the singer and actress shared snapshots of herself sitting on the floor wearing a wedding gown with white chunky boots and a can of Coca-Cola in hand.
“I have no caption. Just a regular day at work,” she captioned the post.
Selena’s co-star Steve Martin also shared a photo of himself dressed in a tux standing beside her. He captioned the pic, “Guess what just happened!”
Martin Short, who also stars in the series alongside Selena and Steve, shared a similar photo of himself with the pop star and wrote, “Turns out this happened, too.”
Many fans drew parallels to the 1991 film Father of the Bride, which both Steve and Martin appeared in.
“The neighbor of the bride,” one fan wrote as another joked, “Steve, you’re going to go broke with all these weddings!”
Five days since her husband and son disappeared while kayaking on Beaver Lake in Arkansas, Thompson said that law enforcement is now working to recover their bodies. Lt. Shannon Jenkins of the Benton County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the two are presumed dead. Thompson believes they likely drowned after one fell into the cold lake from a kayak and the other tried to rescue him.
“What saved me from the beginning of this is that they died together; they were together,” Thompson said.
Her son, Charlie Morris, 20, was a sophomore at Ohio Wesleyan University where he played violin and guitar, competed as a three-season runner, led the orchestra, and aspired to be a lawyer. Her husband, Chuck Morris, 46, was a father to Charlie and a 12-year-old daughter, as well as an acclaimed percussionist with the electronic-jam band Lotus.
According to Chuck’s bandmate Jesse Miller, Lotus had just finished a 25-city tour. Charlie was home for vacation, and the family decided to travel from Kansas City to Beaver Lake, Arkansas to unwind.
“We thought it would be a great idea for Chuck and Charlie to be able to get on the kayaks before a storm hit,” Thompson said.
While she and her daughter went into town, “the boys” went out on the kayaks on March 16, despite the cold water, strong currents and three-foot waves.
When Thompson returned, Chuck and Charlie were nowhere to be found, which was not initially a cause for alarm.
“We got home, and they weren’t back yet. My husband being the adventurer that he is, we’re like, ‘oh, they must be having a great time,'” she said.
According to Thompson, “crisis mode” set in as time passed. They drove around the lake twice, scanning the water for the father-and-son kayakers. After failing to find them, Thompson called the police later that afternoon.
Rescue teams searched the area for days using helicopters, drones, sonar, and dogs. Neighbors also used their boats to aid in the rescue.
On the first night, they recovered a kayak, and the next day another, Thompson said. They later found Chuck’s hat and his coat, but other than those traces, the two men disappeared.
“I guess the first couple of days I really just wanted to hold out some hope,” Miller recalled. “You know, as that dwindled, and the reality became more real, I guess the grief started to set in a little bit more.”
Jenkins said the recovery effort would scale back on Wednesday. It’s unclear when or if the bodies will be recovered, according to Thompson.
She said the current theory is that one of the men fell into the water from his kayak. Weighed down by soaked clothing, he struggled to swim, prompting the other to leave his kayak to attempt a rescue. In the cold water of Beaver Lake, the two likely drowned, Thompson said. She added that the theory was corroborated when cadaver dogs hit near the location of the theorized site of the drowning.
Looking back, Thompson said the cold and choppy conditions on the lake were “for all intents and purposes a perfect storm for drowning.”
As the rescue continued, friends of the family and fans of Lotus began an outpouring of support online. A GoFundMe to support the family’s expenses raised $87,347 as of Tuesday evening. With the grief came memories of the father and son — musical dynamos who Thompson described as “beautifully gentle, loving men.”
“Chuck was fun and creative and funny, and Charlie was pensive and serious and very much believed in the responsibility of people to be good,” she said.
Miller, who spoke to ABC News on behalf of the band Lotus, said that while the group is grieving their late band member, they remember Chuck as a great musician, father and friend.
“When he was on stage, and he was playing that music, he embodied just beauty and spirit and love,” Thompson added.
(NEW YORK) — Some of Gerber’s powdered infant formula products that were manufactured at a facility in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, have been voluntarily recalled due to possible bacterial contamination.
The infant formulas are “being recalled out of an abundance of caution due to potential presence of cronobacter sakazakii,” Perrigo Company, which makes the recalled formulas, announced Friday.
Cronobacter sakazakii is the same type of bacteria that led to the recall of Enfamil’s plant-based powdered infant formula last month.
No adverse events have been reported in connection to the recall, according to Perrigo Company, and no distributed product has tested positive for the presence of the bacteria.
What type of infant formula is being recalled?
Only powdered infant food products under the Gerber Good Start Infant Formula Brand that were manufactured between Jan. 2 and Jan. 18 are currently impacted by the recall, according to Perrigo Company, which purchased Nestlé’s Gateway infant formula plant in Eau Claire, as well as the U.S. and Canadian rights to the Good Start brand from Gerber last November, according to a press release that same month.
The specific items recalled include Gerber Good Start SoothePro products in 12.4-ounce, 30.6-ounce and 19.4-ounce cans with July 2024 use-by dates. Consumers can find a full list of recalled infant formulas on the Gerber website.
What is cronobacter sakazakii?
Cronobacter sakazakii is a common bacterium found in people’s homes and in the broader natural environment overall. This type of pathogen tends to thrive in dry foods such as powdered infant formula, powdered milk or starches, and herbal teas, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
For many people, contact with the bacteria is harmless, but in infants and young children under 12 months old, it can turn into a rare infection. If left untreated, it can be life-threatening, according to the FDA.
The FDA notes that babies under 2 months old, premature babies, children with weakened immune systems and kids with a low birth weight are especially at risk if they develop a cronobacter sakazakii infection.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the agency receives between two and four reports of cronobacter infections every year, but notes that the low number of reports may not accurately reflect how many people each year get ill from the bacteria.
What are the signs of a cronobacter sakazakii infection?
According to the FDA, a cronobacter sakazakii infection in babies and children can cause a fever and lead to other symptoms such as excessive crying, poor feeding and low energy. In some cases, infants may also develop seizures. If you suspect a baby has an infection, experts recommend the child be examined by a medical provider immediately.
What do I do if I have a recalled infant formula product?
The Perrigo Company said consumers who have recalled infant formulas should stop using the product and call the Gerber Parents Resource Center any time at 1-800-777-7690 to request a refund.
Consumers should expect to provide a photograph of the recalled product with the product’s batch codes visible.
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Tuesday’s sports events:
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SPRING TRAINING
INTERLEAGUE
Chi Cubs 6, Kansas City 2
Houston 2, Miami 1
LA Dodgers 4, Cleveland 2
Chi White Sox 6, Milwaukee 5
LA Angels 7, Arizona 1
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Baltimore 6, Boston 2
NY Yankees 6, Detroit 3
Oakland 6, LA Angels 5
Minnesota 5, Tampa Bay 2
NATIONAL LEAGUE
San Diego 14, Colorado 2
Pittsburgh 4, Philadelphia 3
San Francisco 12, LA Dodgers 1
Washington 4, St. Louis 4
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Boston 132, Sacramento 109
Oklahoma City 101, LA Clippers 100
Orlando 122, Washington 112
Atlanta 129, Detroit 107
Cleveland 115, Brooklyn 109
New Orleans 119, San Antonio 84
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Calgary 5, Anaheim 1
Vegas 4, Vancouver 3
Nashville 7, Buffalo 3
Montreal 3, Tampa Bay 2
Philadelphia 6, Florida 3
Carolina 3, NY Rangers 2
Boston 2, Ottawa 1
Minnesota 2, New Jersey 1 (OT)
Columbus 7, Washington 6 (OT)
NY Islanders 7, Toronto 2
Winnipeg 2, Arizona 1
Detroit 3 St. Louis 2 (SO)
Seattle 5, Dallas 4 (OT)
(TAMPA, Fla.) — Three “heroic” security guards stopped an armed man from entering a Florida strip club and helped to avert a possible mass shooting, police said.
In dramatic surveillance video released by the Tampa Police Department on Tuesday, a man can be seen walking toward the door of the club, Mons Venus, early Sunday morning wearing a red “devil mask.” He wielded a flashlight in one hand and a fully loaded 9 mm handgun in the other, according to police. He also had the words “kill” and “darkk [sic] one” on his arms, police said.
A “watchful and alert” security guard saw the man and attempted to take the firearm, Interim Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said during a press briefing Tuesday.
The security guard, Manuel Resto, told reporters he noticed the red mask as the man took “measured steps” toward the door.
“I was like, OK, it’s not Halloween,” Resto said, recalling his confusion.
Resto said he then saw the man point the gun toward the door.
“I then decided that he was not going to enter the club and hurt anybody,” Resto said.
During an ensuing struggle, Resto said he was hit in the head “quite a few times” by the gun.
“I almost went unconscious, but … I wasn’t going to let this happen,” he said. “I was not going to let him win. He was not going to hurt nobody.”
A single round from the gun struck the front door of the venue before Resto was able to knock it out of the suspect’s hand, Bercaw said.
Two other security guards helped Resto restrain the suspect, identified by police as 44-year-old Michael Rudman, and keep him pinned to the ground until authorities arrived.
“All of this happened in less than a minute,” Bercaw said. “And any police officer will tell you — fighting with an armed suspect for a minute seems like an eternity.”
Upon arriving at the scene, police allegedly found two fully loaded magazines in the suspect’s pocket, along with additional ammunition, nine knives and firearm accessories in his pickup truck, which was parked near the club, authorities said.
Roughly 200 people were inside the venue at the time of the incident, which occurred around 1:15 a.m., police said. No one inside was injured.
“There is no question in my mind that had it not been for the brave men you see standing next to me that we could have been here discussing a mass shooting in the city of Tampa. But thanks to their heroic actions, today an armed suspect is in custody and no lives were lost,” Bercaw said.
Police said Tuesday they are still investigating a motive. Detectives have since learned that Rudman allegedly visited the establishment the previous night.
Rudman faces charges including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated assault, both felonies, and battery, which is a misdemeanor, court records show. He also faces the charge of purchasing, possessing or receiving a firearm while under a risk protection order. The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office served him a risk protection order last year, Tampa police said.
Rudman is being held in a Hillsborough County jail with no bond. A pre-trial detention hearing has been scheduled for Friday, court records show. ABC News was unable to reach his public defender for comment.
(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday teased a 2024 run as he celebrated American legends Bruce Springsteen, Gladys Knight, Julia Louis Dreyfus and more in a White House ceremony.
Biden bestowed medals to nearly two dozen individuals and groups whose work, he said, deepened the country’s “understanding of the humanities and broadened our citizen’s engagement with history, literature, philosophy and so many other subjects.”
“Above all, you’re masters of your craft,” Biden told the recipients.
Biden made a reference to a potential 2024 campaign while introducing author Colson Whitehead, noting he won two Pulitzer prizes for his consecutive novels “The Underground Railroad” and “The Nickel Boys.”
“How in the hell did you do that? Pretty good man. I’m kinda looking for back-to-back myself,” Biden said, prompting a loud applause.
Biden has repeatedly said his intention is to run for reelection, though he’s yet to make any formal announcement.
Biden also quipped about how “some people are born to run” while he praising rock music icon Bruce Springsteen.
“Bruce Springsteen, a poet troubadour, chronicler of American life and resilience and hope and dreams, recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, along with 20 Grammys, an Oscar, a Tony, and an unyielding love from millions of fans across generations,” Biden said.
Biden introduced Dreyfus as “President Julia Louis Dreyfus” for her role as Selina Meyer in the hit HBO sitcom “Veep.”
“I’m gonna talk to Julia later whether she liked being VP or president better,” he joked. “I got to figure that one out.”
Biden recognized each individual who was honored and detailed their work in their respective fields.
When it came to Knight, Biden described her as the “Empress of Soul” and said she’s “truly one of the best things ever to happen in terms of music.”
Other recipients included comedian Mindy Kaling, designer Vera Wang, activist Bryan Stevenson, artists Judith Francisca Baca and Antonio Martorell-Cardona, and writers Ann Patchet, Amy Tan, Walter Isaacson and Tara Westover.
“Mindy Kaling you know from Massachusetts, but as we all know, Scranton, Pennsylvania made her who she is,” Biden joked, in a nod to Kaling’s work on “The Office.”
It was the first time Biden awarded the arts medals since taking office after the COVID-19 pandemic put the ceremony on pause.
Biden previously bestowed Elton John with a National Humanities Medal during a White House concert last fall as John was embarking on his farewell tour — an honor John said he was “flabbergasted and humbled” to receive.
“You do make the country better, make it a better place,” Biden said to the 2021 awardees as the event came to a close.
(NEW YORK) — TikTok is facing growing scrutiny from government officials over cybersecurity fears about Americans’ data. U.S. officials are reportedly demanding that Chinese owners sell its stake in the app or risk a nationwide ban.
Later this week, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is set to face questions from congressional lawmakers about the platforms’ data security practices and relationship with the Chinese government. Meanwhile, a proposed bill with bipartisan support and backed by President Joe Biden would empower the executive branch to ban TikTok and other apps owned by Chinese companies.
Former Under Secretary of State Keith Krach, who worked to crack down on TikTok under the Trump administration, joined “GMA3” hosts DeMarco Morgan and Eva Pilgrim to discuss why he views the app as a major cybersecurity threat.
PILGRIM: You believe TikTok is a national security threat. What concerns you the most?
KRACH: Well, I think the biggest thing is that TikTok can track keystrokes. Here’s what that means. That means that they have access to your passwords, all your data. They have access to your health records, your bank records. They have access to your geopolitical information or your geospatial information. That means that they can track where you are, where you’ve been and where you’re going. But I think one of the things that’s worse is that it’s not just about you. It’s about the people you digitally interact with. So look at it as a digital virus, because it can infect the people around you. And the only vaccine for this is a total ban.
MORGAN: Well, Keith, experts have called a potential TikTok ban unchartered territory. They’ve been talking about this for quite some time and a huge undertaking. And experts say a nationwide ban may not stop the app from collecting Americans’ data. How exactly would one work? And how concerned are you that Americans would be able to get around a ban?
KRACH: You know, it’s actually not unprecedented. We did the same thing with Huawei and 5G. And if you look at Huawei and 5G, that’s the backbone for the surveillance state, and TikTok is one of those key appendages that comes off of that. So right now in Congress, Sen. Warner, Sen. Thune, have a bill, the Restrict Act, that actually gives the Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo, the authority to ban applications, technology from our adversaries.
PILGRIM: A bipartisan bill to give the president power to ban the app is gaining support in the Senate. You’ve discussed TikTok concerns with members of Congress and the Biden administration. But how real of a possibility is this? What are you hearing from them?
KRACH: Oh, this is certainly real. You know, I can tell you, as undersecretary, I had a lot of closed-door sessions with Congress. I couldn’t tell the difference between a Democrat and Republican when it came to Chinese technology. You know, this is our biggest national security threat. And I can tell you, if they can weaponize a balloon, they can certainly weaponize 150 million American TikTok users at their mercy.
MORGAN: So with that said, what’s your response to critics of this ban, including the ACLU, who argue it would limit free speech and violate the First Amendment?
KRACH: Look, I’m all for free speech. A big advocate for that. But the fact is, TikTok limits free speech. If you don’t believe me, just try to post something on Tiananmen Square or post something on Taiwan, and you’ll see what happens. You know, the other thing, too, is that TikTok has been used to limit freedom of the press. I was just talking to a reporter yesterday from the Financial Times, and she shared with me how TikTok, they actually use TikTok to track down one of their journalists and try to intimidate him writing an unflattering story about China.
PILGRIM: One of the thing a lot of parents talk about when it comes to TikTok and social media. According to recent CDC data, nearly one in three high school girls considered attempting suicide in 2021, up nearly 60% from a decade before. And now schools across the country are suing social media companies for allegedly contributing to the youth mental health crisis. TikTok says they prioritize safety and wellbeing of teens with age-restricted features, screen time limits and parental controls. But my question to you, what can Silicon Valley do to better protect our kids?
KRACH: Yeah. You know, Eva, I’ve got 11-year-old twins, a boy and a girl. So obviously, this is a big issue. You know, there’s social media and then there’s TikTok. TikTok is programed to be addictive. It preys actually on children. It’s kind of disguised as candy, but it’s actually cocaine. And this is one of the big things. If you look at how TikTok is actually being used inside of China– I’m not talking outside of China– they use it as an educational app for STEM, for science, technology, engineering and math. So there’s two big differences there. And TikTok is by far the worst.
