While actress Anne Heche remains in a coma and in critical condition at the hospital following her fiery car crash last week, ABC News has learned a blood test turned up positive for narcotics.
Heche was severely burned when her blue Mini Cooper slammed into a Mar Vista, Los Angeles, home at a high rate of speed, setting both the car and the home ablaze.
She has not been able to communicate since the crash. Los Angeles Police Department investigators say narcotics were found in her system — but because she was tested after being admitted to the hospital, it needs to be determined if they were taken before the crash, given by the hospital, or some combination of the two.
The 53-year-old could face felony DUI charges for the wreck in the likely scenario LAPD investigators refer the case to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office.
Rush‘s surviving members, singer/bassist Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson, reunited Wednesday night at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, Colorado, at a concert celebrating the 25th anniversary of the popular animated comedy show South Park.
Lee and Lifeson made a surprise appearance, joining their longtime friends Primus for a performance of Rush’s classic 1977 song “Closer to the Heart” while South Park co-creator Matt Stone sat in on drums.
This marked the first time Lee and Lifeson have played together in public since longtime Rush drummer Neil Peart‘s death from brain cancer in January 2020.
Before Lee and Lifeson hit the stage, a video featuring South Park-style cartoon
versions of them was shown in which they humorously discussed what they could do to help Stone and South Park co-creator Trey Parker celebrate the 25th anniversary.
“[Should we] send them some free Rush beer?” Lee poses. “Or even worse, we could show up and jam with them, eh?” Lee and Lifeson then hit the stage, to wild applause.
Rolling Stone reports the concert included full sets from Primus and Ween, and Stone joined in on various instruments for renditions of original South Park songs.
The show was filmed for South Park: The 25th Anniversary Concert special, which premieres on Comedy Central this Saturday, August 13, at 10 p.m. ET and will be available to stream on Paramount+ starting August 14.
Stone is a lifelong Rush fan, and the band has been referenced in South Park numerous times, including the 2011 episode “Royal Pudding” that features the prog-rock legends performing at a vigil after the princess of Canada was kidnapped.
(WASHINGTON) — A year ago, America ended its longest war and withdrew troops from Afghanistan. After occupying the country for two decades, the withdrawal immediately led to a dangerous situation for any U.S. allies still left in the country, who risked retribution from the Taliban.
During the fall of Kabul to the Taliban, the bond between two men from opposite worlds proved to be unshakeable and led to the rescue of a desperate family. They are now sharing their experiences in a dual memoir, “Always Faithful.”
After several failed attempts to leave, interpreter Zainullah Zaki, known as Zak, who had worked for the U.S. military for several years in Afghanistan, his wife and their four small children were able to leave Afghanistan safely – with the aid of Marine Corps Maj. Thomas Schueman, who helped from the other side of the world.
Schueman left Afghanistan in 2013, Zak remained in Afghanistan. As the Taliban took over Afghanistan’s capital, Schueman said he immediately thought of his friend and began to make calls, texts and social media posts to try to find someone who could help.
Meanwhile, Zak spent days in Kabul working to get the proper documents he needed for himself and his family to come to the United States, as Schueman worked from the United States to devise a strategy to get Zak out of the country, ABC News reported in August 2021.
Finally, Schueman said he found someone at the Kabul International Airport to look for Zak’s family and secure spots for them on a plane to Qatar.
Schueman and Zak first met in Helmand Province in 2010. Schueman said that Zak quickly became “family.”
“It quickly became apparent that Zak was there to do so much more than simply translate our words; that he was there to fight alongside us,” said Schueman. “He became one of the members of my platoon, and he was almost immediately family to us.”
Chaos ensued in August 2021, when the U.S. began withdrawing the troops left in Afghanistan after spending nearly two decades in the country.
Zak recalled the onset of the war in 2001 and the first time he saw American soldiers arrive in his country.
“When the Americans came, they were working [to build] Afghanistan. They work for our bright future,” said Zak. “I decided to go and join the U.S. Army and work together, side by side with them.”
Although he was able to help Zak, Schueman said his work is far from over. He is continuing to advocate and push lawmakers to help other U.S. allies safely evacuate.
“I do believe that many people have very good intentions to support our allies,” said Schueman. “It just seems that the red tape to honor some of these promises that we made to the allies sometimes seem nearly insurmountable.”
Schueman said that the two hope that their story can help draw attention to people like Zak and their experiences during the war.
“I think it’s important to have that dual narrative perspective where you don’t have an American telling what Afghanistan is like,” said Schueman. “You have someone who was born there and raised there. Telling us about their culture, about their religion, about their history. And so I think that’s imperative in this type of story.”
(CINCINNATI) — An hourslong standoff between law enforcement and an armed man who allegedly tried to break into the FBI’s Cincinnati office has ended, officials said.
The status of the suspect was not immediately clear.
Ohio State Highway Patrol started pursuing the suspect shortly after 9:30 a.m. after he allegedly fled from the field office.
Troopers followed the suspect, who was driving a white Ford Crown Victoria, to Clinton County, where shots were fired, according to officials.
The suspect, who officials said was armed with a rifle and wearing body armor, had been contained in a cornfield off Interstate 71 near Wilmington, according to Clinton County Emergency Management. The suspect appeared to have a gunshot wound to his leg but was mobile, according to a law enforcement source.
The suspect was allegedly armed with an AR15-style rifle and also brandished a nail gun during the alleged break-in attempt at the FBI field office in Cincinnati, according to multiple law enforcement sources.
Clinton County Emergency Management alerted around 4:30 p.m. that the law enforcement response “has ended.”
A lockdown was in effect within a 1-mile radius of the standoff scene. People were instructed to lock doors and stay inside.
The man led police on a chase along Interstate 71 before exiting near Wilmington. Ohio State Highway Patrol said shots were fired from the suspect’s vehicle before it exited and, once it pulled off the interstate, gunshots were exchanged between the suspect and police.
No officers have been injured, police said.
It remains unclear why the man allegedly tried to break into the FBI office but it comes amid a series of threats following the FBI’s court-authorized search of former President Donald Trump’s Florida residence.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
As confirmed in the teaser, “Heads Carolina, Tails California” singer Jo Dee Messina makes an appearance in the video as the bartender serving up drinks at the karaoke bar that Cole and his friends visit in downtown Nashville.
Additionally, one of the original writers of “Heads Carolina,” Tim Nichols, makes a cameo sitting next to Cole at the bar.
The karaoke concept was Cole’s idea, as was Jo Dee playing the bartender, noting that “one of the coolest parts” about the video was having Tim next to him at the bar while the country legend is making cocktails.
“I told her, ‘You’re going to make this whole video,'” Cole shares on Instagram Live about pitching the idea to Jo Dee, admitting that he was “nervous” to meet her for the first time on set. “I’m so glad that she was able to make it up for that. It was cool.”
The Georgia native also hints that he and his team are in the process of finding another way for the two to collaborate and encourages his fans to be “patient.” “I promise it’s going to be worth it when we figure out what we want to do,” he says.
Cole’s girlfriend, Courtney Little, also makes a cameo in the video.
“She Had Me at Heads Carolina” is currently racing up the top 10 on the country charts, becoming the fastest rising hit of Cole’s career so far.
Rodgers & Hammerstein’sCinderella turns 25 years old this year, and for its milestone anniversary, members of the original, star-studded cast will come together to celebrate.
On August 23, Brandy, Whoopi Goldberg, Paolo Montalban, Victor Garber, Bernadette Peters, Jason Alexander and Veanne Cox will convene for Cinderella: The Reunion, A Special Edition of 20/20. The one-hour program “dives into the film’s positive impact on representation in Hollywood” and features exclusive interviews, as well as BTS moments with the late Whitney Houston.
“We’re delighted that the 25th anniversary of this landmark incarnation of ‘Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella’ is being celebrated on its original network,” said Imogen Lloyd Webber, SVP at Concord Theatricals, on behalf of The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization. “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s unforgettable score is truly timeless — still enchanting listeners 80 years after their partnership began and 65 years since their ‘Cinderella’ first charmed the largest audience in television history.”
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella premiered on November 2, 1997, and put a spin on the traditional story, as it introduced America’s first Black Cinderella (Brandy) and Fairy Godmother (Whitney Houston). The revolutionary musical garnered critical acclaim and seven Emmy nominations following its release. It has since gained a new set of fans after its debut on Disney+ in February 2021.
Cinderella: The Reunion, A Special Edition of 20/20 will premiere on ABC at 8 p.m. ET, followed by the original film, which hasn’t aired on broadcast television in more than two decades. The special will be available to stream on Hulu the following day.
This week, the country superstar shared a selfie from a night out with Ada James, one of the four daughters he shares with wife Lauren Akins. TR rocked a blazer for their big night out, while Ada wore a sweet gray summer outfit and a big smile.
The second-to-oldest of Thomas’ four daughters, Ada has no problem expressing her opinion, and she made it clear that she didn’t want her dad referring to their hang time as a “daddy-daughter date.”
“AJ didn’t like that I called it a date..so here’s a picture of us at ‘dinner,’” the singer joked in the caption of his post. “I can’t believe you are about to be 5!! What the heck?!”
TR is also dad to 6-year-old Willa Gray, 2-year-old Lennon Love and 8-month-old Lillie Carolina. He frequently opens up about his family life in his song lyrics, and he’s even floated the idea of a full album about parenting, called Dadding.
The Killers have premiered the video for the band’s new single, “Boy.”
The clip begins with the “Mr. Brightside” rockers standing in a field at night looking up at the moon, before cutting to shots of galloping horses and flying flamingos.
You can watch the “Boy” video streaming now on YouTube.
The song “Boy” premiered last Friday, following its live debut during The Killers’ European tour in July. It follows the band’s one-two punch of 2020’s Imploding the Mirage and 2021’s Pressure Machine albums.
The Killers will launch a North American tour August 19 in Vancouver.
Image Group LA/Disney Channel via Getty Images Image Group LA/Disney Channel via Getty Images
Britney Spears‘ attorney has weighed in on the fiasco between her and ex-husband Kevin Federline. He says the former backup dancer has “created various legal issues for himself” by posting videos allegedly depicting the Grammy winner yelling at their sons.
“Whether he realizes it or not, Mr. Federline has not only violated the privacy and dignity of the mother of his children, he has undermined his own children, whose privacy he should protect,” attorney Mathew Rosengart told ABC News in a statement. “Mr. Federline’s ill-advised decision to post an old video of his 11 and 12 year old children was cruel, bottom of the barrel stuff. It was abhorrent.”
Rosengart continued, “In addition to demeaning himself and violating societal norms, he has now also created various legal issues for himself including, but not limited to, implicating cyber-harassment and cyber-bullying statutes, among other things.”
“We will not tolerate bullying in any area,” he continued, citing the abuse Britney endured when seeking to terminate her 13-year conservatorship. “We are working with Instagram to ensure that Mr. Federline adheres to its rules and we are exploring all appropriate relief against him.”
“We urge Mr. Federline to act with a measure of grace and decency and to cease from publicly discussing private matters, which benefits no one,” the statement closed.
As previously reported, Federline sparked controversy when he told Daily Mail Britney’s kids, 16-year-old Sean Preston and 15-year-old Jayden, “have decided they are not seeing her right now.”
Britney later accused her sons in a since-deleted Instagram post of being “hateful” and claimed her ex-husband’s house “has more weed than Ludacris, 50 Cent, Jay Z and Puff Daddy combined.”
After Britney made the post, he shared several inflammatory videos of her to Instagram, but deleted them soon after.
