Speaking to ABC Audio, the two said it was a no-brainer for them to be part of the beloved series. “It’s very smartly done,” noted Bleu, who plays himself this season. Earles, who will play camp commander Dewey Wood, added, “It’s the most animated show on television.”
Both actors also heaped praise on the show’s “incredibly talented and hardworking” young cast for teaching them some valuable lessons.
“I learned to … find it in myself the organic love of performance,” said Bleu, who admits to being “such a perfectionist.” He said the young actors helped him step away from that mentality.
“They just grab a guitar [and] start singing. They’re just dancing. That love of performance as a form of expression is such a great reminder of what it can do,” the Broadway star said. Bleu added the young cast helped him perform “in a way that that I don’t think I’ve actually ever done before,” which “did a number on me.”
“They’re very free. They’re very uninhibited,” Earles agreed. “It almost inspires you to throw your inhibitions out the window.” Earles also shouted out one star in particular.
“One actor that consistently just blew my mind no matter what they were doing in a scene was Sofia Wylie,” the Hannah Montana alum said as Bleu nodded along. “She’s our youngest cast member, and she would make these choices that made my head explode … and I would be moved to tears at her performance.”
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series season 3 premieres Wednesday, July 27, on Disney+.
Following an emotional group date, Rachel and Gabby changed the rules on Monday’s episode of The Bachelorette — with unexpectedly disappointing results.
But first, Rachel and Zach were treated to a one-on-one date fit for a Hollywood power couple, courtesy of TV host Karamo Brown, that saw them walking the red carpet to a big-screen peek at each other’s lives, set to the music of composer Matt White. The two felt an instant connection with each other that lead Rachel to offer the California tech executive the date rose, which he eagerly accepted.
Then Erich joined Gabby for a one-on-one that quickly turned into a two-on-one when another celebrity — at least to Bachelor Nation — Gabby’s grandpa John showed up to join them for a sound healing ceremony, followed by something a little more up grandpa’s alley, specifically a bowling alley. Erich passed the grandpa test, and won Gabby over during their intimate dinner, after which, he accepted her date rose.
Later, the remaining 19 men embarked on the largest group date in Bachelorette history, where both ladies got a chance to picture their futures with the men — literally — through the lens of legendary photographer Franco Lacosta.
The group then headed to SoFi Stadium for a romantic evening that took a devastating turn for Gabby when she learned that three of the men — Tyler, Jacob and Hayden — felt more of a connection with Rachel, the latter explaining that he was turned off by her “rough around the edges” and “goofy” personality. Rachel’s date rose went to Aven, while Gabby didn’t give out a rose.
That led the Bachelorettes to change the rules, deciding to “move forward on two separate journeys.” Gabby and Rachel each had their own set of roses, which they took turns offering to the men each of them wanted to continue dating. Accepting the rose was a commitment to date that Bachelorette solely for the remainder of the competition.
The idea did not end well, particularly for Rachel, who had Alec, James and Tremayne turn down her rose. Despite being placed back in line with a chance to be offered Gabby’s rose, they were sent home, along with Jacob.
But hold the phone…
In a confessional that played during the closing credits, James “Meatball” expressed regret over turning down Rachel’s rose, then begged her for another chance. Will she reconsider? We’ll have to wait until next week to find out.
Here are the remaining 17 men, following Monday’s rose ceremony:
Rachel:
Aven, 28, a sales executive from San Diego, California
Ethan, 27, an advertising executive from New York, New York
Hayden, 29, a leisure executive from Tampa, Florida
Jordan H., 35, a software developer from Tampa, Florida
Logan, 26, a videographer from San Diego, California
Tino, 28, a general contractor from Playa Del Rey, California
Tyler, 25, a small business owner from Wildwood, New Jersey
Zach, 25, a tech executive from Anaheim Hills, California
Gabby:
Erich, 29, a real estate analyst from Bedminster, New Jersey
Jason, 30, an investment banker from Santa Monica, California
Johnny, 25, a realtor from Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
Kirk, 29, a college football coach from Lubbock, Texas
Mario, 31, a personal trainer from Naperville, Illinois
Michael, 32, a pharmaceutical salesman from Long Beach, California
Nate, 33, an electrical engineer from Chicago, Illinois
Quincey, 25, a life coach from Miami, Florida
Spencer, 27, an army officer from Chicago, Illinois
The Bachelorette returns Monday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
The Wild ‘n Out host, 41, and Bre Tiesi, 31, have welcomed their first child together.
Tiesi announced she had an “natural unmedicated home birth” on Instagram on Monday, sharing a carousel of photos from the joyous moment.
“I did it. An all natural unmedicated home birth. This was the most humbling / limit pushing yet awakening and completely empowering experience,” she wrote. “I can’t thank my team enough for delivering my son safely. This experience has changed me forever and I couldn’t of asked for a more amazing and supportive partner. Daddy showed the f up for us.. I couldn’t of done it without you. I can’t believe he’s here.”
Shortly after the Instagram announcement, the model shared a “very emotional labor and delivery vlog” detailing her birthing experience, including sweet moments of the parents with their newborn. Tiesi said she chronicled her journey in hopes that “it helps anyone considering an unmedicated home birth.”
During the 11-minute-long video, the name of Cannon and Tiesi’s adorable little boy was revealed as Legendary Love.
Legendary is Tiesi’s first child. Cannon has seven other children with four women: 11-year-old twins, Monroe and Moroccan with Mariah Carey; Golden, 5, and Powerful Queen, 1, with Brittany Bell; one-year-old twins, Zion and Zillion with Abby De La Rosa; and Zen, who died in December at five months old, with Alyssa Scott.
(UVALDE, Texas) — Mandy Gutierrez, principal of Robb Elementary School in Texas, was suspended with pay Monday, her attorney, Ricardo Cedillo, confirmed to ABC News.
A special legislative investigation into the May 24 massacre at the school found that Gutierrez was aware of security problems prior to a shooter accessing the school — killing 19 students and two teachers — but she had not had the problems fixed.
District officials declined to discuss the suspension or what it means.
Gutierrez joins school district police chief Pete Arredondo, still on unpaid administrative leave. The Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District has recommended Arredondo be fired.
The chief has been singled out for a series of catastrophic failures in leading the police response to the massacre that ignored the possibility that children and teachers could be saved had the teenage gunman been confronted and neutralized, as standard police protocol dictates.
News about Gutierrez’s suspension began circulating just before a regularly scheduled school board meeting Monday night. During the session, the board announced that the 2022-23 school year would start on Sept. 6 as the district puts in place a series of security improvements and arrangements for emotional and social support services.
Before officials announced their plans, the board was again greeted by family members of victims of the shooting, as well as other community residents disturbed with the way the district’s leaders have acted since May 24.
“These parents are still hurting. And they want answers,” Daniel Myers, a pastor, told the board.
Brett Cross, father of Uziyah Garcia, who was killed in the massacre, pointed to board members, saying only one of those present had reached out to his family. He demanded someone on the board take responsibility for failures that allowed the shooting to occur in the first place and how the district has handled the aftermath.
“You care more about your damn selves than you do for our children,” Cross told the board. “Why have y’all still not taken accountability for y’all’s mess-ups? Can any one of y’all look me dead in the eyes and say, ‘Look, we messed up?'”
Finally, board member Luis Fernandez confessed that “everybody messed up.”
“So, let’s recap: Two months later… nothing has changed,” Belinda Arreola told the board. “We are once again banging our heads against a brick wall, demanding answers and accountability… Getting nowhere because it’s always something.”
“I feel that no amount of security will ease our hearts and our minds,” Tracy Byrd said, pointing to the significant loss of life, despite heavy law enforcement response. The board did not respond.
Among the security improvements announced were that Wi-Fi and communications problems identified by investigators would be the subject of an audit starting Tuesday. Officials are also now conducting a search for an interim district police chief, and the district police force will be reorganized. Other improvements announced were that new video camera systems have arrived and are being installed this week, and vestibules and school access points are being reviewed by consultants and limited.
The district’s Raptor security system is being reworked so emergency alerts are clearer for users. The district has also asked for 30 to 40 state troopers to be on hand to assist on the first day of school.
Among social and emotional support announced were that there will be five more licensed counselors, one per campus, as well as telemedicine to include psychiatric and counseling services via the UT Health System. It was also announced that the district will use the Rhithm app, a morning assessment to ask students how they’re doing and feeling, and that parent support will be available via the Bereavement Center, to include individual support available to anyone in the community in need.
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Monday’s sports events:
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INTERLEAGUE
Detroit 12, San Diego 4
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Boston 3, Cleveland 1
Baltimore 5, Tampa Bay 1
Kansas City 7, LA Angels 0
Oakland 7, Houston 5
Seattle 4 Texas 3
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Cincinnati 11, Miami 2
Philadelphia 6, Atlanta 4
Chi Cubs 3, Pittsburgh 2
Colorado 2, Milwaukee 0
Arizona 7, San Francisco 0
Washington 4 L.A. Dodgers 1
(NEW YORK) — The Mega Millions jackpot has reached an estimated $810 million ahead of Tuesday night’s drawing, making it the third largest jackpot in the game’s history.
Tuesday night’s historic jackpot is possible after no one had the winning numbers following Friday night’s drawing.
The Mega Millions winning numbers in Friday’s drawing were: 14-40-60-64-66. The Mega Ball was 16 and Megaplier was 3.
Only four Mega Millions jackpots have been won this year; in California, Minnesota, New York and Tennessee.
Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing will be held at 11 p.m. ET and has a cash value of $470.1 million, the company said in a press release.
The largest Mega Millions jackpot was $1.537 billion on Oct. 23, 2018, when one winning ticket was sold in South Carolina. In January 2021, one winning ticket was sold in Michigan, with an estimated prize of $1.05 billion.
Lottery winners have two options, take the money as a lump sum payment or annuity payments over 29 years.
Most winners usually take the lump sum payments, but record inflation has complicated matters, experts said.
“If we believe that inflation will be here for a while, then you may want to consider taking the annuity versus taking the lump sum,” tax and estate planning attorney Kurt Panouses told ABC News’ Deirdre Bolton.
(INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.) — The Indiana Senate heard public testimony on a proposed abortion bill Monday, with passionate pleas from both anti-abortion rights and abortion-rights advocates.
Monday’s testimony comes prior to the legislature’s vote on Senate Bill I, which is slated for Tuesday at 1 p.m.
The proposed bill would ban all abortions in the state from the moment of conception, with exceptions for rape, incest, threats to the health of the mother, or due to fatal fetal abnormalities.
The bill would not hold women accountable, criminally, but rather those who perform abortions outside of these exceptions.
While testimony began, abortion-rights protestors could be heard from outside the Statehouse in Indianapolis, where the hearing took place.
Vice President Kamala Harris also came to Indianapolis in preparation for the legislature’s Tuesday vote, meeting with lawmakers to discuss the bill.
Dozens of Indiana residents shared testimony before state senators, calling for changes to the bill, some arguing for more restrictions, and others pleading for less.
On both sides, much of the hourslong testimony pointed to vagueness within the proposed law.
Several doctors testified that they or their colleagues will become fearful of performing abortions and potentially put their patients at risk.
“We want emergency physicians to be able to provide life-saving interventions and treatments consistent with the standard of care without fear of prosecution,” Daniel Elliott, an emergency physician, said during the hearing.
Amy Caldwell, an obstetrician and gynecologist in Indiana, testified to the same sentiment, adding that it’s important for physicians to have safe, private conversations with their patients about their health.
Ariel Ream, an Indiana woman who sought pregnancy through IVF, said she’s fearful of losing that protected relationship with her doctors.
“Who gets to decide when my life is truly at risk?” Ream said during the hearing. “When am I hemorrhaging enough to be able to get care, what doctor is not going to be scared, as we’ve heard today, to not lose their license to give you the care they need?”
Others, including Elizabeth Manring, think the vagueness needs to be addressed in order to create more restrictions.
She asked senators to vote against this bill and instead “close the loopholes large enough to drive a truck through and actually work to stop abortion in Indiana.”
Advocates for abortion and anti-abortion rights both raised questions about the implication of religion within the law.
Several anti-abortion rights advocates referenced the Bible, in favor of a complete ban on abortion with no exceptions for rape or incest.
“If the language of the bill isn’t changed, innocent children will die. God’s wrath will continue to be stored up against us and the Republican Party will lose many of its God-fearing constituents,” Seth Leeman said.
Brian Shrank, who said he ministers outside of abortion clinics, referenced a 10-year-old girl who came to Indiana to receive an abortion after becoming pregnant from rape, saying, “God gave that girl life.”
Rabbi Aaron Spiegel argued against the bill for fewer restrictions, saying that the ban from conception is against the beliefs of Judaism and therefore not coherent with the Constitution’s pledge to freedom of religion.
Grey Lesesne, a reverend at an Episcopal Christian church in Indianapolis, said that this bill would harm many of his congregants.
“I’m asking you to give Hoosier women and pregnant people the dignity and respect to make these difficult decisions with their doctors, their families and their communities of faith,” Lesesne said.
Several women came forward to share their experiences with abortion.
One, Danielle Spry, said that she “cannot even fathom the trauma” that having to go through with her pregnancy would have caused her.
Spry said that she was told her daughter would not have been able to survive after birth, due to fatal fetal abnormalities that would not allow her lungs or heart to work properly.
Spry added that she believes women should be able to carry any pregnancy to term, but that she was grateful that she had a choice.
Public testimony will continue for the bill at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, leading up to a 1 p.m. vote on the bill by state senators.
As The Rolling Stones prepare to wind down their current European tour leg next week comes word that some members of the rock legends’ touring band will team up for a series of special shows in late August in New York City paying tribute to late drummer Charlie Watts.
The concerts, dubbed “Celebrating Charlie Watts,” will take place at New York’s famed Blue Note Jazz Club on August 29, 30 and 31, with performances scheduled at 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. ET.
The shows will feature Stones touring bassist Darryl Jones, backing singer Bernard Fowler and sax player Tim Ries, along with accomplished jazz guitarist David Gilmore, keyboardist Gary Versace and drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts.
In addition, famed jazz trumpet player Gary Brecker will perform with the collective on August 29, while acclaimed jazz bassist John Patitucci will be on hand for the shows on August 30 and 31.
Tickets for the concerts can be purchased at TicketWeb.com.
The Rolling Stones have three dates left on the current leg of their SIXTY tour — July 27 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany; July 31 in Stockholm, Sweden; and August 3 in Berlin.
Imagine Dragons is teaming up with Ukraine’s United24 as an ambassador for the initiative.
United24 was created by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to raise funds for the country as it continues to fight against Russia’s invasion.
As United24 ambassadors, Dan Reynolds and company will help raise awareness and funds for medical aid in Ukraine, specifically supporting Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska‘s campaign to purchase more ambulances.
“We love the people of Ukraine and want to help in any way possible,” Reynolds says. “Injustices like this can only be conquered when people around the world come together. We stand by the beautiful people of Ukraine and their courageous leader President Zelenskyy.”
He adds, “We look forward to the day when we can play a concert again in Kyiv and celebrate freedom, life and music with the resilient and strong people of Ukraine.”
(NEW YORK) — Accused New York City subway shooter Frank James will tentatively stand trial early next year for allegedly opening fire on a Manhattan-bound N train in Brooklyn in April.
A federal judge in Brooklyn on Monday set a trial date for Feb. 27, 2023, after prosecutors disclosed a vast amount of evidence in the case.
“Videotaped post-arrest statements made by the defendant on or about April 13, 2022,” along with “videos of the defendant collected from YouTube,” will all be part of the case, prosecutors said in a court filing.
The government has collected numerous photos, records and reports and turned them over to James’ defense team.
On April 12, James allegedly shot and wounded 10 commuters before he was caught in the East Village following a manhunt through parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn. No one was killed.
James has pleaded not guilty to federal terrorism charges. He was also charged with discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
Police said he drove to Brooklyn in a rented U-Haul not too far from the 36 Street station from which he slipped away after the shooting on a train across the platform.
Law enforcement officials set off on a 24-hour manhunt for the suspect right after the shooting. Several callers to the New York Police Department tipline said a man matching the description of the shooter was wandering around the Lower East Side and East Village.
James himself was one of those people police believe called into the tipline. The caller claimed police were looking for him and he’d be waiting at a McDonald’s on Sixth Street and First Avenue. Police responded to the area, and James was arrested without incident shortly afterward.
