On Thursday’s installment of Live with Kelly and Ryan, Ryan Seacrest made the surprising announcement that he was leaving the show he’s co-hosted since 2017. He will “pass the baton” to frequent guest host, and Kelly Ripa‘s real-life husband, Riverdale actor Mark Consuelos.
Calling the news “bittersweet,” Seacrest said the “tough, tough decision” was “something that [Kelly] and I have been talking about for a long time…”
He continued, “What I plan to do is once American Idol starts from Los Angeles later this spring, I’ll head out to the West Coast and host that show,” adding he’ll return to fill in as a guest host on occasion.
Seacrest noted, “Working alongside Kelly over the past six years has been a dream job and one of the highlights of my career. She has been an amazing partner, friend, and confidant, and although we will always be a part of each other’s lives, I will miss our mornings together.”
Saying he and the crew have “made memories to last a lifetime,” Ryan added, “I’m excited to pass the baton to Kelly’s ‘real’ husband, Mark.”
Consuelos has been married to Ripa since 1996, and they have three children: 19-year-old Joaquin, Lola, 21, and Michael, 25. Mark, who previously worked with Kelly on All My Children, often fills in for Seacrest on the morning show.
Ann Limongello/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
Back in early 1972, John Lennon and Yoko Ono co-hosted the very popular daytime talk show The Mike Douglas Show. Now we’re about to get an in-depth look at what happened behind-the scenes.
Variety reports that a new documentary, Daytime Revolution, has just completed production, taking a look at that important week of television. The doc has the blessing of Yoko and Sean Ono, who also consulted on the project but do not appear. The doc will feature archival footage of the five Lennon/Ono hosted episodes, along with interviews from the surviving guests, which include political activist Ralph Nader.
“It’s become a cliche that Woodstock was the defining moment of the counterculture,” says the film’s director, Erik Nelson, but “when I watched these broadcasts in their entirety, I realized that, in reality, this week in 1972, when John Lennon and Yoko Ono essentially hijacked the airwaves and presented the best minds and dreams of their generation to the widest possible mass audience of what was then called ‘Middle America,’ was as far as the counterculture would ever get.”
Nelson notes Lennon and Ono’s appearance presented “Not just music but a prescient blueprint for the future we now live in.”
The Lennon/Ono hosted episodes of The Mike Douglas Show featured a variety of guests, all personally invited by the couple. In addition to Nader, comedian George Carlin appeared on the program, as well as Chuck Berry and Black Panther chairman Bobby Seale and others, with the show touching on a variety of controversial topics.
So far, Daytime Revolution is still looking for a distributor and doesn’t have a release date.
(EAST PALESTINE, Ohio) — The mayor of an Ohio village where a train carrying toxic chemicals derailed earlier this month told ABC News that he “wasn’t built for this” and needs “help.”
East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway briefly spoke to reporters on Wednesday evening, before a town hall meeting with residents in the local high school’s gymnasium. ABC News asked Conaway about the pressure of being in the national spotlight and whether he has a message for U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan, who is slated to visit on Thursday.
“I need help,” the mayor responded. “I’m not ready for this. I wasn’t built for this. I always thought of myself as a leader. I will do whatever it takes.”
Earlier Wednesday, Regan announced via Twitter that he will travel to East Palestine, Ohio, the next day to hear from impacted residents, visit the derailment site and meet with the state’s emergency responders.
“I want the residents of East Palestine to know that we understand their fears and concerns,” Regan tweeted. “We are going to get through this together and we are holding Norfolk Southern accountable.”
About 50 cars of a freight train operated by Norfolk Southern Railway derailed in a fiery crash on the outskirts of East Palestine, Ohio, near the state line with Pennsylvania, on the night of Feb. 3. Ten of the derailed cars were transporting hazardous materials, five of which contained vinyl chloride, a highly volatile colorless gas produced for commercial uses. There were no injuries reported from the accident, officials said.
Efforts to contain a fire at the derailment site stalled the following night, as firefighters withdrew from the blaze due to concerns about air quality and explosions. About half of East Palestine’s roughly 4,700 residents were warned to leave before officials decided on Feb. 6 to conduct a controlled release and burn of the toxic vinyl chloride from the five tanker cars, which were in danger of exploding. A large ball of fire and a plume of black smoke filled with contaminants could be seen billowing high into the sky from the smoldering derailment site as the controlled burn took place that afternoon, prompting concerns from residents about the potential effects.
A mandatory evacuation order for homes and businesses within a 1-mile radius of the derailment site was lifted on Feb. 8, after air and water samples taken the day before were deemed safe, officials said.
The office of Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced Wednesday that the latest tests conducted by the state’s EPA show five wells feeding into East Palestine’s municipal water system are free from contaminants. But residents with private wells are encouraged to drink from bottled water instead, until their well water has been tested and cleared for consumption, according to the governor’s office.
“With these tests results, Ohio EPA is confident that the municipal water is safe to drink,” DeWine’s office said in a statement. “Because private water wells may be closer to the surface than the municipal water wells, the Ohio EPA recommends that those who receive drinking water from private water wells schedule an appointment for well water testing by an independent consultant.”
Ohio Department of Natural Resources director Mary Mertz said during a press conference Tuesday that four tributaries over a space of 7.5 miles along the Ohio River are contaminated, but officials are confident that those waterways are contained and not affecting water supplies. Nevertheless, the contaminated waterways have led to the deaths of some 3,500 fish. None of the 12 different species of dead fish that were detected are considered threatened or endangered, and there was no evidence that nonaquatic life has been impacted, according to Mertz.
Tiffani Kavalec, chief of the Ohio EPA’s surface water division, told reporters Tuesday that no vinyl chloride or pre-product has been detected in the water. The contamination mostly consists of fire contaminant combustion materials, according to Kavalec.
The National Transportation Safety Board is conducting a safety investigation to determine the probable cause of the derailment. Two videos show preliminary indications of mechanical issues on one of the car’s axles. The train’s emergency brake was activated after crews said an alarm went off, according to the NTSB.
Norfolk Southern Railway announced in a statement Tuesday that it has helped 1,000 families as well as a number of businesses in East Palestine, Ohio, since the Feb. 3 derailment. The Atlanta-based rail operator said it has also distributed $1.2 million to families to cover costs related to the evacuation.
Representatives from Norfolk Southern Railway did not attend Wednesday night’s town hall meeting due to concerns “about the growing physical threat to our employees and members of the community around this event stemming from the increasing likelihood of the participation of outside parties,” according to a company press release.
“We know that many are rightfully angry and frustrated right now,” Norfolk Southern Railway said in the press release. “We want to continue our dialogue with the community and address their concerns, and our people will remain in East Palestine, respond to this situation, and meet with residents. We are not going anywhere.”
The actress and producer kicked off the year by unexpectedly going viral after she accepted an award on Kevin Costner‘s behalf at the Golden Globes last month. She struggled to maintain a straight face as she laughed her way through the script, which explained Costner’s absence was due to the California storms.
The moment made headlines and when speaking with ABC Audio while promoting her new partnership with Jameson Irish Whiskey, Hall admitted the response surprised her, saying she “just had a live reaction reading the teleprompter.”
“Sometimes things that people write are funny, you know, And you just. Yeah,” she explained. “You’re in the moment, but it was a good night.”
Also coming up for Hall, is the highly anticipated sequel to the 2017 comedy Girls Trip. Last month writer/director Tracy Oliver shared hopes of setting the new film in Ghana. So what other details can Hall share?
“You know what? It’s not even I can’t say much. I will be honest. There’s just I don’t know that we necessarily at this point… I mean, I do know but we don’t necessarily know the details,” she says. “I read about Ghana the next day like everyone else, and I was like, ‘Oh, okay.'”
Hall, who starred alongside Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Tiffany Haddish in the film,added, “But I will say this. We’re excited to reunite.”
“I think it’s really important for us to make sure that it’s something that the fans will be really excited about,” she continued. “But I wish I had more details. I mean, I know it’s all of us. I guess that’s a detail. And I heard we’re going to Ghana.”
Better Call Saul‘s Bob Odenkirk is returning to AMC in the drama series Lucky Hank, which debuted its first full-length trailer on Wednesday. The series, from the executive producers of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, stars Odenkirk as “an English department chairman at an underfunded college” who “toes the line between midlife crisis and full-blown meltdown, navigating the offbeat chaos in his personal and professional life – oddly proving tantrums get better with age,” according to AMC. Lucky Hank — also starring Hanna‘s Mireille Enos, Sara Amini, Diedrich Bader, Suzanne Cryer, Olivia Scott Welch and Cedric Yarbrough — premieres March 19…(Trailer contains uncensored profanity.)
A live-action adaptation of How to Train Your Dragon — from Dean DeBlois, who wrote and directed the animated trilogy — will fly into theaters in 2025, according to Variety. The fantasy series — which includes 2010’s How to Train Your Dragon, 2014’s How to Train Your Dragon 2 and 2019’s How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World — has grossed more than $1.6 billion worldwide and spawned the TV series DreamWorks Dragons, Rescue Riders and The Nine Realms, as well as theme park rides and the live show, How to Train Your Dragon on Ice…
Comedy Central released a first-look trailer and announced the guest lineup for Andy Samberg‘s adult animated series Digman! on Wednesday. Maya Rudolph, Jason Schwartzman, Daniel Radcliffe and Kyle Mooney are among the stars who will appear, in addition to the previously announced cast, which includes Melissa Fumero, Tim Meadows and Tim Robinson. Digman! — the first series written and produced by the Saturday Night Live alum, who also voices the titular character — is “set in a world where archaeologists are massive celebrities and the coolest people on the planet,” per the cable channel. Digman! launches March 22…(Trailer contains censored profanity.)
The SAG Awards on Wednesday announced the first round of presenters for the 29th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards. Andrew Garfield will be presenting this year’s SAG Life Achievement award to Sally Field. Additional presenters include Jessica Chastain — who is also a nominee for her performance in George & Tammy — Emily Blunt, Don Cheadle, Stranger Things‘ Caleb McLaughlin, Paul Mescal, Emily in Paris‘ Ashley Park. More presenters will be announced in the coming week. The SAG Awards will be broadcast live on Netflix’s YouTube channel Sunday, February 26 at 8 p.m. ET from the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles…
Season 2 of the comedy series is in full swing, with episodes airing weekly on Prime Video. It’s been over a year since viewers last saw ambitious gal pals Camille, Tye, Quinn and Angie — played by Meagan Good, Jerrie Johnson, and Grace Byers, respectively. So what’s everyone up to now?
“Well, we can say that the show picks up exactly where we left off. So we don’t, you know, fly over that moment and go a year later. It’s like we’re right in the moment of the shenanigans,” Good tells ABC Audio.
While the first season was about establishing the characters, the actress shares that in season 2 “we get to really see them live life.”
“Not always in the perfect way. Sometimes in a very messy way,” she continues. “And we get to see their failures and their triumphs and the things that they experience in life that we all experience that for some reason often aren’t depicted on television or movies or they’re just touched upon, but not really gone into.”
Good adds, “And then there’s also just a lot of crazy and amazingness and messiness, but goodness and heart, too.”
In addition to exploring the characters deeper, this season introduces some familiar faces as guest stars, including Lil Rel Howery, Sherri Shepherd, and more. As for other stars the cast would love to make an appearance on the show, that list includes some pretty A-list names.
Johnson’s pick — Angela Bassett. “Angela [can] play my mother so we can be face to face,” she said.
For Good, she’d love to see Halle Berry make an appearance, “I want Halle to play my big sister.”
Catch up the first four episodes of Harlem season two on Prime Video now, with new episodes released on Fridays.
(HUNTSVILLE, Ala.) — Two fatalities were reported after a Black Hawk helicopter crashed onto an Alabama highway Wednesday afternoon, a U.S. official confirmed to ABC News.
The crash occurred on Highway 53 near the intersection of Burrell Road in Madison County, near the Alabama-Tennessee border, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.
The helicopter belonged to the Tennessee National Guard, according to a U.S. official.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of two Tennessee National Guardsmen, and our prayers are with their families during this heartbreaking tragedy,” Brig. Gen. Warner Ross, Tennessee’s Adjutant General, said in a press release. “We ask Tennesseans to join us in supporting their families during this time of unthinkable grief.”
The Madison County Sheriff’s office received a distress call on its 911 system around 3 p.m., spokesperson Brent Patterson told ABC News.
First responders who arrived first at the scene found the helicopter “engulfed in flames,” Patterson said. The aircraft was a “total loss,” and given the extent of visible damage, they determined there were no survivors, he said.
The two fatalities were aboard the helicopter, a U.S. official said.
According to the Tennessee National Guard, no other service members or civilians were injured. Federal and state authorities are investigating the crash and the Tennessee National Guard will work with officials investigating the crash site.
The National Guard said Wednesday night it cannot confirm the unit the helicopter was assigned to or provide information on casualties.
“It is premature to discuss possible causes of the crash,” National Guard spokesperson Robert Carver said in a statement. “Like all military aircraft mishaps, the incident will be investigated. The National Guard will support law enforcement and other first responders handling the crash site.”
Troopers with the agency and deputies from the Madison County Sheriff’s Office were securing the scene.
The Madison County Sheriff’s Office advised of road closures in the area following the crash.
“We anticipate evening traffic to experience heavy delays in this area throughout the evening,” the sheriff’s office said.
Tammy Adams told Huntsville, Alabama, ABC affiliate WAAY-TV that she heard what sounded like a car without a muffler before seeing the helicopter fly overhead.
“Then bam, we heard a hit,” she told the station. “We saw it hit the ground and it exploded.”
She said she said a prayer for those onboard.
“We knew there could not be anybody surviving that,” she told WAAY.
Chermonica Johnson also told WAAY she said a prayer after witnessing the devastating crash.
“There’s nothing there, at all,” she told the station. “You can’t even tell it was an aircraft.”
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said on Twitter that he and his wife, Maria, were “deeply saddened by the tragic loss of two Tennessee National Guard members. Please join us in lifting their families up in prayer & support during this time of unspeakable grief.”
Gov. Kay Ivey of Alabama responded, thanking Lee and saying, “Alabamians will continue to uplift in prayer the families affected by this heartbreaking tragedy.”
“The Guardsmen who lost their lives today will be remembered as heroes,” Ivey said. “The people of Alabama stand with our neighbors in Tennessee.”
(NEW YORK) — When photographer Shannon Morton shared a baby photo to her business’s Facebook page, she had no idea that it would go viral.
“It was amazing,” Morton told ABC News’ Good Morning America. “I shared it, I think on Thursday. By Friday morning, I looked at it and I saw, ‘Oh my gosh. 5,000. Wow, that’s amazing.’ I looked at it an hour later and it had doubled. It was already at 10,000 likes and loves and shares … and then the comments started happening.”
The photo post, which included a picture of baby Sutton — who was born with a cleft lip and palate and is now 9 weeks old — has since garnered more than 728,000 likes and nearly 7,000 comments. It features the newborn with her eyes closed in what Morton calls an “angel pose.”
“So. Many. Smiley babies in the studio recently! This is sweet Sutton, the cutest little redhead! 👶🏻♥️” Morton wrote in the accompanying photo caption.
Sutton’s photo struck a chord and soon, other parents began to comment with photos and stories of their own children born with a cleft lip, palate or both.
“My little princess was born with a bilateral cleft thankfully her palet was intact. Me and dad assure her everyday that she is the most beautiful girl in the world and her personality is amazing,” one parent wrote alongside a photo of a young girl smiling for the camera.
Another Facebook user shared four sweet photos and added, “Such a beautiful baby 💕 our sweets is a cleft/palate baby also.”
“She’s beautiful,” one mother commented, adding, “as a cleft mama seeing her beautiful face just warms my heart!”
Neither Morton nor Sutton’s parents, Courtney and Gavin Gardner, expected such a big response from people online.
“It was a huge difference compared to what [Morton] normally posted and it was shocking, because I, up until that point, had been keeping my children off of my own personal social media accounts just for their protection. So I never anticipated it getting any attention at all, let alone the amount that it did or the kindness of the comments that it did,” Courtney Gardner told GMA.
Gavin Gardner, Sutton’s dad, added that all of it “was very surprising.”
“We didn’t expect that and of course, reading the comments, everyone had really wonderful things to say. Very encouraging. And I think the nicest thing to do is when people would share about their own stories if they had a child with cleft lip or cleft palate,” he said.
The Gardners told GMA Sutton was diagnosed at their 20-week ultrasound with right-sided unilateral cleft lip and palate. Cleft lip and palate are both birth defects that occur when a baby’s lip or palate does not develop properly during pregnancy, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In most cases, doctors don’t know why clefts form but approximately 1 out of 1,600 babies in the U.S. is born with both a cleft lip and palate each year, and 1 out of every 1,700 babies is born with a cleft palate. Additionally, 1 in every 2,800 babies is born with a cleft lip but not a cleft palate.
There are various treatments available for cleft lip and palate, including surgery, dental care and speech therapy.
Courtney Gardner told GMA Sutton is expected to receive her first surgery in March and then at least one more surgery after she turns 1. She will also get speech therapy.
The Gardners also said they’re grateful for the care their daughter has received so far at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, and said finding a community online has helped them through a journey they never imagined they would be on.
“During the pregnancy, I did join a support group on Facebook for cleft moms, which has been instrumental in helping those feelings and I’ve made a lot of really great friends from that and even met up with them and their babies in person. But to connect with people outside of that, from all around the world, was just nothing that we expected but was absolutely just lovely to have happen,” Courtney Gardner said.
Today, the Gardners are also sharing their daughter’s story through their own Facebook page called My Cleft Cutie.
“We started a Facebook page just to show others her journey, what it’s like and stuff like that and words of encouragement or cleft awareness,” Gavin Gardner explained.
The Gardners said they hope sharing will help shine a light on and offer support and encouragement to other expecting parents who may be going through what they had when they first heard Sutton had a cleft lip and palate.
“When you first get that diagnosis and you have six months to just stew on it and wonder what if, seeing other people and what their experiences were just helped my mind process things and and realize that this is something that we could absolutely handle, rather than let my worst fears take hold,” Courtney Gardner said.
(EL PASO, Texas) — One person is dead and three others injured after a shooting at the Cielo Vista mall in El Paso, Texas, Wednesday, authorities said.
Two suspects are now in custody, according to police.
The mall is located near a Walmart where 23 people were killed in a racist shooting in August 2019.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Feb 15, 11:29 PM EST
Second suspect in custody, police say
Interim El Paso Police Chief Peter Pacillas said two suspects are now in custody and there is “no more danger to the public.”
Feb 15, 10:46 PM EST
Third victim in fair condition, medical center says
The Del Sol Medical Center in El Paso said it’s treating the third victim, who is listed in fair condition.
Feb 15, 10:25 PM EST
Gov. Greg Abbott says he spoke to mayor
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said he spoke to El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser Wednesday night and offered the “full support” of the state.
“Thank you to all law enforcement and first responders who quickly went into action to protect their fellow Texans,” he tweeted.
Feb 15, 10:19 PM EST
Rep. Veronica Escobar: Shooting ‘has brought back traumatic memories’
Rep. Veronica Escobar, who represents Texas’ 16th District, which includes El Paso, tweeted Wednesday that the shooting “has brought back traumatic memories for many of us. Please know you are not alone.”
“Call El Paso’s crisis help line at ; there is help for you 24 hours, 7 days a week,” she wrote.
Feb 15, 10:15 PM EST
Police say it’s too early to speculate on motive
It’s too early to speculate on a motive, or whether the shooting was targeted or random, El Paso police said.
One suspect is in custody and police were looking into whether or not there’s an outstanding suspect, authorities said.
Right now, police said, the focus is making sure the injured are taken care of and securing the mall, and an investigation will be conducted.
Feb 15, 10:15 PM EST
‘Chaotic scene’ after shots fired: Police
It was a “chaotic scene” in the mall after shots were fired and “people did flee,” the El Paso Police Department said during a briefing Wednesday night.
“It does cause panic,” police said.
The suspect was taken into custody inside the mall, according to police.
Feb 15, 9:59 PM EST
Two male patients in critical condition, hospital says
The University Medical Center of El Paso said it received two male victims of Wednesday night’s shooting, and that they are both in critical condition.
Feb 15, 9:57 PM EST
Police work to clear mall following shooting
The El Paso Police Department said authorities are gathering witnesses and that it will take time to entirely clear the mall.
Authorities said they believe the scene is secure at this time.
Feb 15, 9:18 PM EST
Suspect in custody: Police
A suspect is in custody and police said they’re looking into the possibility of a second shooter or accomplice.
Feb 15, 8:47 PM EST
Three victims transported to local hospitals, police say
The three victims have been transported to local hospitals, according to an El Paso police spokesman.
(MEMPHIS, Tenn.) — A local sheriff’s office in Tennessee has suspended two patrol deputies in connection with the death of 29-year-old Memphis resident Tyre Nichols.
The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office announced in a press release Wednesday that Johntavious Bowers and Jeremy Watkins, who have been deputies since June 2021, were suspended without pay for five days after an administrative investigation into their conduct. The sheriff’s office said both Bowers and Watkins “appeared on the scene following the physical confrontation” on Jan. 7 between Memphis police officers and Nichols, who died from his injuries in a local hospital three days later.
A “thorough review of the circumstances” determined that the two deputies violated several regulations, the sheriff’s office said. Both Bowers and Watkins violated radio communication procedures, mobile video recording system procedures as well as patrol field job duties and responsibilities. Watkins also violated a fourth regulation: operational responsibility of daily activity log at 201 Poplar, according to the sheriff’s office.
“Because I had concerns about two deputies who appeared on the scene following the physical confrontation between police and Tyre Nichols, I ordered this internal investigation,” Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr. said in a statement Wednesday. “Our investigation was thorough and complete. I am satisfied that the discipline given to these deputies is appropriate and just. We must continue to maintain the highest standards of excellence for the citizens of Shelby County through service, integrity, and accountability.”
According to Watkins’ writeup, obtained by Memphis ABC affiliate WATN-TV, the deputy did not report in his daily activity log that he was at the scene in Memphis on the night of Jan. 7, when Nichols was arrested and beaten by police officers after a traffic stop. Watkins also did not activate his body-worn camera, nor did he notify a supervisor he was on scene, WATN reported, citing his writeup.
Both suspensions went into effect on Wednesday. The sheriff’s office said it “believes it is appropriate to release the outcome of the internal review at this time” due to its “current belief that there will be no charges” against the two deputies from the ongoing investigation by the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Various members of the Memphis Police Department and the Memphis Fire Department have been fired for their alleged involvement in Nichols’ death. Five former Memphis police officers — Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith — have since been arrested and charged with several felonies, including second-degree murder. They were booked into the Shelby County Jail, with bonds set at $350,000 for Martin and Haley and $250,000 for Bean, Mills and Smith, according to the TBI. Online jail records show they have since been released after posting bond.
Mills’ lawyer, Blake Ballin, and the attorney for Martin, William Massey, told reporters last month that their clients were “devastated” about the charges and will be pleading not guilty. The defense attorneys representing Bean, Haley and Smith have either declined to comment or did not respond to ABC News’ previous requests for comment.
Video of the Jan. 7 traffic stop, comprised of footage from the city’s surveillance cameras and the former officers’ body-worn cameras, was made public on Jan. 27. The graphic video, which shows the officers beating Nichols, has sparked nationwide outrage. Nichols’ family has described him as a “beautiful soul” who loved skateboarding and was a father to a 4-year-old son.
According to a preliminary independent autopsy commissioned by Nichols’ family and released by their lawyers, he suffered from “extensive bleeding caused by a severe beating.”
Neither the independent autopsy report nor official autopsy report have been publicly released.
