Selena Gomez is thinking about her future and where she’d like to be. While she is a decorated actress and singer, the “Lose You to Love Me” artist hints she’ll give it all up to start a family.
Speaking on TaTaTu’s Giving Back Generation podcast with friend Ashley Cook, Selena said, “I hope to be married and to be a mom.”
Selena said she is “incredibly lucky” to have the career she built for herself but admitted, “Eventually, I’m going to be tired of all of this.” The Emmy-nominated producer estimates that, once she hits that stage in her life, she will “probably … devote most of my life to philanthropy before I peace out.”
Selena credits her 8-year-old sister, Gracie Teefey,for showing her that she’d be a great parent.
Saying her sister “puts things in perspective” for her, Selena continued, “I have to basically watch this little person grow into a human being. There’s no better feeling in the world. I kind of feel like a parent in a way, even though I’m not.”
Selena sweetly added, “It’s so rewarding to just see that life was so simple at one point. I want to enjoy life the way she enjoys life.”
The Wizards of Waverly Place star dedicated a portion of the discussion to describing how having close friends is good for one’s development. Saying she has three best friends, Selena noted, “What is so important to your mental health and being able to communicate with people is finding people that are like-minded.”
Selena stressed it is important to befriend people who will be “honest and be there” during times of great need.
She added, “You are who you surround yourself with and you want to be proud of that.”
LL Cool J‘s contributions to hip-hop and pop culture have earned him a key to his hometown of Hollis, Queens. The rapper received the honor at the first Rock the Bells concert on Saturday night.
“Hollis, Queens was represented today at @RockTheBells as the @NYCCouncil celebrated a true Queens legend, the one and only @llcoolj!” Speaker of the New York City Council Adrienne Adamstweeted afterward. “It was an honor to present him with a proclamation acknowledging his undeniable impact on Hip Hop and popular culture.”
LL rose to stardom in 1985 with his single “I Need a Beat,” but songs like “I’m Bad,” “I Need Love” and “Mama Said Knock You Out” catapulted him to another level of fame. As an artist and lover of hip-hop, he founded the Rock the Bells festival — named after his album of the same name — to honor the legends who paved the way in the genre.
“I feel like Hip Hop is indisposable,” LL said in a statement. “And I feel like, the same reverence and deference in the way Paul McCartney gets celebrated, the way Bob Dylan gets celebrated or Mick Jagger, I feel like these artists, these kings and queens, deserve that same treatment for this art form.”
This year’s show featured performances from Ice Cube, Jadakiss, Rick Ross, Lil’ Kim, Busta Rhymes and Scarface, as well as food from rapper-owned businesses, including Bun B‘s Trill Mealz Food Court and Trill Burgers, Nas’ Sweet Chick and Ghostface Killah’s Killah Koffee.
(NEW YORK) — The family of Gabby Petito announced Monday that they plan to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the police department in Moab, Utah, where Petito and her boyfriend Brian Laundrie were questioned last year about a possible domestic dispute.
Shortly after Petito and Laundrie were questioned by police on Aug. 12, 2021, Petito, 22, went missing.
Petito’s body was discovered last September in the Bridger-Teton National Forest in Wyoming. Laundrie, who was later found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park in North Port, Florida, wrote in a notebook that he killed her, according to the FBI.
In a press release announcing the lawsuit, an attorney for the Petito family, Brian Stewart, said officers from the Moab City Police Department “failed to properly investigate the reported domestic assault, and thus failed to fully appreciate or respond to Gabby’s life-threatening situation.”
“While the full evidence has not yet been made public, when it is released, it will clearly show that if the officers had been properly trained and followed the law, Gabby would still be alive today,” James McConkie, another of the family’s attorneys, said in the press release. “Failure to follow the law can have deadly consequences, as it did in this case.”
In a notice of claim sent on Aug. 5, attorneys representing Joseph and Tara Petito and Nichole and Jim Schmidt said they are seeking $50 million in damages.
Body camera images from the Aug. 12 incident show Petito and Laundrie talking to an officer after her 2012 Ford Transit was pulled over by Moab police. In one image, she appears to be crying while sitting in the back of a police vehicle.
The couple told police they were arguing and that Petito had slapped Laundrie, according to the police report. The couple also stated to police that Laundrie did not hit Petito.
In a statement at the time, Moab police said that “insufficient evidence existed to justify criminal charges” in that incident.
Petito had told police she suffered from severe anxiety and other medical conditions, which were redacted from the police report, and that the couple’s argument had been building for days. Police labeled the incident as a “mental/emotional break” rather than a domestic assault, according to the police report.
The incident took place about two weeks before Petito, who was on a cross-country trip with Laundrie, last spoke with her family, who reported her missing on Sept. 11.
Officials confirmed on Sept. 21 that a body found in the Bridger-Teton National Forest in Wyoming was Petito. A coroner later ruled that she had died of “blunt-force injuries to the head and neck, with manual strangulation.”
Laundrie returned to his parent’s home in North Port without Petito and was reported missing on Sept. 17.
Police found Laundrie’s remains in Carlton Reserve several weeks later, in October.
Shortly after Petito’s body was found, the city of Moab announced it would launch an independent investigation into its police department’s handling of the incident involving Petito and Laundrie.
In response to the independent report’s findings, the city of Moab said it planned to implement recommendations including providing additional training in domestic violence investigation and strengthening the review process for incident reports.
“As the Moab City Police Department continues its daily mission to serve our community, efforts are underway to provide additional resources and tools to assist them in addressing domestic violence incidents,” the city said in a statement. “Plans are in place to add a trained domestic violence specialist to oversee incidents investigated by Moab officers. We also will implement added and ongoing training and testing to ensure that the officers understand policies and procedures.”
The city also applauded the responding officers, writing, “Based on the report’s findings, the City of Moab believes our officers showed kindness, respect and empathy in their handling of this incident.”
The city has not yet responded to the announcement of the wrongful death lawsuit.
Stewart, an attorney for Petito’s family, said they hope their planned lawsuit helps to “prevent such tragedies” as Petito’s death.
“The Petito family believes that it is important as a society to hold our governmental institutions to account for such failures and to work toward changes to protect victims of domestic abuse and violence and prevent such tragedies in the future,” Stewart said in a statement.
Last week, the Petitos announced a $100,000 donation to the National Domestic Violence Hotline through The Gabby Petito Foundation, which the family formed after her death to support victims of domestic violence.
In a new interview with CNN, Roger Waters discussed the provocative political messages featured in his current This Is Not a Drill Tour. While doing so, the ex-Pink Floyd singer/bassist shared what many might consider eye-opening views regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
When CNN’s Michael Smerconish asked Waters why President Joe Biden was featured in a video segment of the show labeling a number of politicians “war criminals,” Waters responded, “Well, he’s fueling the fire in the Ukraine … That is a huge crime.”
The 78-year-old Rock & Roll Hall of Famer continued, “Why won’t the United States of America encourage [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy to negotiate, obviating the need for this horrific, horrendous war?”
When Smerconish suggested that Waters was “blaming the party that got invaded,” Waters seemed to turn the blame on NATO’s actions in the region.
“This war is basically about the action and reaction of NATO pushing right up to the Russian border,” he maintained, “which they promised they wouldn’t do when [Soviet leader Mikhail] Gorbachev negotiated the withdrawal of the USSR from the whole of Eastern Europe.”
Waters also took exception when Smerconish brought up the U.S.’s historic role as “liberators,” firing back, “You have no role as liberators! You got into World War II because of Pearl Harbor. You were completely isolationists until that … awful day.”
He added, “Thank God the Russians had already won the bloody war almost by then. Don’t forget, 23 million Russians died protecting you and me from the Nazi menace.”
Later in the interview, Waters defended China’s recent threatening actions toward Taiwan in response to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi‘s recent visit to the latter country.
“Taiwan is part of China!” Waters declared. “That has been absolutely accepted by the whole of international community since 1948.”
Lizzo’s admiration of Beyoncé is no secret — she once called the powerhouse singer her “North Star” — and it appears Bey feels the same.
Lizzo took to Instagram to celebrate Bey’s latest remix of “Break My Soul,” called “THE QUEENS Remix.” The single samples Madonna‘s “Vogue” and includes a segment where the “Halo” singer shouts out her biggest inspirations.
Lizzo’s reaction to being included was nothing less than iconic. Taking to Instagram, she declared in all capital letters, “I ALWAYS BELIEVED IN ME NOW BEYONCÉ BELIEVE IN ME TOO.”
The video also shows the Grammy winner’s sincere reaction to the shout-out, which includes her shrieking in glee and laughing. She also shared a Story that proves just how full circle this moment is for her.
“I remember when I was telling my friend’s mom [what] my major in college was going to be. And I told her I was gonna major in music performance — and she laughed in my face,” Lizzo said. “She said, ‘Music performance? Like Beyoncé?’ And laughed in my face.”
Lizzo said she “only has one thing to say” to that woman, which is “Bye!” She also pulled up Bey’s new “Break My Soul” remix to play the exact moment the legendary singer says her name.
“When I was shyer, when I didn’t think I was cool and when I was getting picked on, I would listen to Beyoncé in my bedroom and it would transport me. I would feel something. Feel like my life was going to be better,” she said. “The way she makes people feel is how I wanna make people feel with music. She’s been my North Star.”
Yeah Yeah Yeahs are teasing a new song called “Burning.”
The track — which is set to appear on the “Maps” outfit’s upcoming comeback album, Cool It Down — will premiere this Wednesday, August 10. You can check out a preview of the tune via the band’s Twitter.
“Burning” will be the second song released off of Cool It Down, following the first single “Spitting Off the Edge of the World,” featuring Perfume Genius. The album will arrive in full on September 30.
Cool It Down is the first Yeah Yeah Yeahs album in nine years, following 2013’s Mosquito.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs will perform at Chicago’s Riot Fest in September, followed by headlining dates in New York City and Los Angeles in October.
(NEW YORK) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has deployed a federal team to New York to investigate the case of polio detected in Rockland County.
The team will also help administer vaccinations in the county, according to ABC station WABC-TV.
It’s unclear how long the CDC will remain in the county or if the findings will be released to the public.
On July 21, the New York State Health Department announced an unvaccinated patient in Rockland County had contracted a case of vaccine-derived polio, the first case in the United States in nearly a decade.
This means the patient was infected by someone who received the oral polio vaccine, which is no longer used in the U.S.
Unlike the polio vaccine given by injection, which uses an inactive virus, the oral vaccine uses a live weakened virus.
In rare cases, the virus spreading through sewage can affect those who are unvaccinated. This is different from wild polio, which infects people by circulating naturally in the environment.
Since then, it’s been revealed the patient was a previously healthy 20-year-old man who had traveled to Europe. He was diagnosed after he went to the hospital when he developed paralysis in his legs.
Last week, the state health commissioner said “hundreds” of people in New York could be infected after the virus was found in wastewater samples in multiple counties.
As of Aug. 5, 11 samples were genetically linked to the Rockland County patient including six samples collected in June and July from Rockland County and five samples collected in July from nearby Orange County, health department data shows.
New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett called on anybody who hasn’t received the polio vaccine to do so.
The statewide rate of polio vaccination is 78.96% while the Rockland County rate sits at 60.34%, state data shows. In Orange County, the rate is even lower at 58.66%.
“Based on earlier polio outbreaks, New Yorkers should know that for every one case of paralytic polio observed, there may be hundreds of other people infected,” Bassett said in a statement Thursday. “Coupled with the latest wastewater findings, the Department is treating the single case of polio as just the tip of the iceberg of much greater potential spread.”
The statement continued, “We must meet this moment by ensuring that adults, including pregnant people, and young children by 2 months of age are up to date with their immunization — the safe protection against this debilitating virus that every New Yorker needs.”
Neither the CDC nor the NYSDOH immediately returned ABC News’ request for comment.
Carrie Underwood‘s girls night out turned into a karaoke session.
Over the weekend, Carrie and a group of friends were visiting Fox & Locke, a restaurant and music venue in Leiper’s Fork just outside of Nashville, when the superstar decided to hop onstage with the band.
A video posted by local cover band The Heartshakers shows the hitmaker performing a cover of Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty‘s Grammy-nominated collaboration, “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around,” taking lead vocals as she sings to the packed house, “And baby, you could never look me in the eye/But why you buckle with the weight of the words/Stop draggin’ my heart around.”
“Girls’ night! OK, so, the guys were there, too, but we were doing our best to pretend they weren’t!” the singer captions the photo of her and a group of girlfriends during their night out on the town. “I am so lucky to be surrounded by so many amazing ladies! [Love] you guys!!!”
Carrie will hit the road on her Denim & Rhinestones Tour beginning October 15.
(WASHINGTON) — Joe Biden on Monday traveled to Kentucky to survey damage from severe flooding in the state — a visit that also marks his first presidential trip since he tested positive for COVID-19 last month.
He landed in Lexington on Monday morning to talk with local officials about the flooding, which killed at least 37 people after rain soaked the eastern part of the state. On Sunday, the president amended an existing emergency declaration for Kentucky to free up additional disaster assistance.
Biden and first lady Jill Biden are scheduled to meet with Gov. Andy Beshear and Kentucky first lady Britainy Beshear, according to the White House. The Bidens will also visit families affected by the flooding.
The president previously visited Kentucky in December to survey tornado damage in the state.
Biden told reporters at Dover Air Force Base before flying on Monday that he felt “great” and again tested negative for COVID that morning.
He was first cleared to leave isolation Sunday after testing negative for a second time following a so-called rebound case of the virus.
The president tested positive last month and, according to his doctor, experienced mild symptoms including a slight fever, cough and sore throat. He tested negative less than a week after that first positive test but received another positive test just days after that.
During his initial bout with COVID, Biden took Paxlovid, which is a key therapeutic for high-risk patients in preventing hospitalization and other severe outcomes. But it at times produces a rebound case after a patient finishes their course of treatment.
After he got the green light to leave isolation, Biden traveled to his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, before traveling Monday to Kentucky.
Duane Prokop/Getty Images for The Wellness Experience by Kroger
Jewel says she’s OK after a scary situation over the weekend in which her tour bus erupted into flames in a hotel parking lot.
The “Intuition” singer spoke about the shocking incident on TikTok, saying, “We had a full bus fire. Nobody was hurt. It happened on an off day.”
Jewel, who is currently on tour with Train and Blues Traveler, shared photos of the extensive damage to her bus — including a charred interior, shattered windows and damaged engine. She praised the local fire department for extinguishing the blaze.
“Everybody is safe,” she assured before adding, “We saved the vintage guitar and guitar AMP.” The equipment was saved by her “hero” bus driver, and she sang his praises for “saving the vintage gear.”
Despite walking away from this incident unscathed, Jewel noted that she is upset by the situation and exclaimed, “All’s well that ends well, but how about this bulls**?!”
The singer also noted that was the same bus that broke down in the middle of the night. She didn’t offer an explanation about what arrangements were made so she can continue touring with Train. Jewel also didn’t disclose where the incident took place, except that it was in a hotel’s parking lot.
Train took their AM Gold tour to Morrison, Colorado, on August 6, where they played Red Rocks Amphitheatre.
