Once again, Maksim Chmerkovskiy has taken to Instagram to update his friends and followers about the “crazy” situation unfolding in his native Ukraine.
The Dancing with the Stars pro explains in a five-minute video that some “crazy” stories are unfolding throughout the country, including about a female friend of his who made it from Kviv to Lviv on her way to the Polish border. What should be a short trip into Poland had taken her 17 hours and counting, “crawling” in a bus along the traffic-packed escape route, Maks said.
Maks explained his friend also noted that there also were “beautiful stories” of volunteers “constantly feeding, and giving hot drinks” to refugees along the way.
“[There’s] a lot of fighting everywhere. Streets are crazy. At one point I got arrested,” Chmerkovskiy said, before seeming to imply it was a misunderstanding.
“[A]ll good, promise,” he said regarding the arrest, calling the situation “probably the least traumatizing moment in this whole thing as far as Ukraine is concerned,” but, he allowed, “for me, it was a reality check.”
Maks noted that he’s “trying to stay focused” on making his way toward the border and get out of the country, explaining, “I have a lot to unpack emotionally,” then admitting he’s “not in a mental state right now to do so.”
As he’s said in prior messages, his dual passport makes it easier for him to leave Ukraine, and he was going to head to the border as well.
“I’m nervous, but I know it’s gonna be OK,” Maks promised.
On Friday, actor, producer and TV host Nick Cannon cut the ribbon of a new San Diego eatery, Wild’n Out Sports Bar.
The massive-sized sports bar, which is inspired by the long-running MTV/VH1 show Wild’n Out, features an indoor/outdoor experience with food, drinks and an arcade.
Cannon posted an almost two-minute video on his Instagram page that features footage of him cutting the red ribbon outside of the restaurant and giving viewers a glimpse of the inside.
“It’s a beautiful opportunity to be able to open this up and to have people come out from the community and show love and to have the people that I came up with support a brand that I created,” Cannon said in the video.
On grand opening day, visitors were welcome to stop by and “enjoy mouth-watering burgers, tasty cocktails, and good vibes.” There also were opportunities to win a gift card and meet a few of the famous Wild’n Out girls.
“It’s homegrown,” Cannon said. “[It’s great] to be able to be homegrown, to bring that same fun and energy that we bring on television each and every night to a place where they feel they can feel safe and come and have a good time.”
Season 17 of Wild’n Out, hosted by Nick Cannon, kicked off last week on VH1.
Colton Underwood is engaged to his boyfriend, Jordan C. Brown, after less than a year together.
The former Bachelor star told People that he and Brown got engaged on a weekend getaway to Big Sur, saying he “couldn’t have pictured a more beautiful place to celebrate an amazing milestone in my life and relationship.”
He continued, “I’m extremely happy! 2021 was the most transformative year of my life. Starting 2022 off with my best friend, teammate and now fiancé is something I never thought was going to be possible.”
Underwood, 30, took to Instagram to confirm the news, sharing a photo of him and Brown, and captioning it, “life is going to be fun with you.”
The reality star told The New York Times in December that he and Brown, a political strategist, had been dating for several months. He said they were “very in love” and their families had already met.
Underwood publicly came out in an exclusive interview with Good Morning America last April. “I’ve ran from myself for a long time. I’ve hated myself for a long time,” he told GMA, adding that he was “the happiest and healthiest” he’s ever been.
The Bachelorette alum then starred in the Netflix docu-series Coming Out Colton, which detailed his experience of coming out to his friends and family. It also showed him navigating life as a gay man in sports who is a Christian and a public figure.
Will Smith and Denzel Washington in 2008; Dave M. Benett/Getty Images
When Will Smith won his first Screen Actors Guild Award Sunday, he received congratulations from his idol, Denzel Washington. The former Fresh Prince was honored for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role for King Richard.
“He’s always been a mentor for me and he grabbed me and he said, ‘This is your year,'” Smith told People. “He just hugged me and he said, ‘I’m so happy for you. Just love who you’re becoming,'” he said.
The Independence Day star says Denzel has been a major inspiration for his success.
“I would go to Denzel for advice so he’s seen me through the years and he was just telling me how proud he is of who I’ve become and what I’ve become,” Smith added.
In other news, when Samuel L. Jackson received the Chairman’s Award Saturday night during the NAACP Image Awards, he passionately demanded voting rights justice. The Pulp Fiction star called on viewers to use “our legs, our bodies, and our voices to work to make sure people do get out and vote.”
“I’ve had the opportunity to use my body to fight for things that were right, from civil rights, to the Vietnam War, to a lot of other things that needed fixing and changing. We got it done,” Jackson added. “The most important thing being the Voting Rights Act.”
Finally, when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle accepted the President’s Award at the NAACP Image Awards, they also supported the voting rights movement.
“It’s inspiring to think about the legacy surrounding the Image Awards, which began shortly after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965,” Markle said. “Today, we can continue that legacy by reestablishing federal voting protections.”
Oscar-winner Michael Douglas is playing an American icon: Founding father Benjamin Franklin.
The Kominsky Method star will bring the story of the legendary figure to life for a limited series produced by ITV Studios America and Apple Studios.
The project is based on Pulitzer-winner Stacy Schiff‘s book A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America, and written for the screen and co-produced by Kirk Ellis, who wrote HBO’s acclaimed John Adams series.
“The drama will explore the thrilling story of one of the greatest gambles of Benjamin Franklin’s career,” Apple TV+ teased in a statement.
“At age 70, without any diplomatic training, Franklin convinced France — an absolute monarchy — to underwrite America’s experiment in democracy,” the statement continues. “By virtue of his fame, charisma, and ingenuity, Franklin outmaneuvered British spies, French informers, and hostile colleagues, all while engineering the Franco-American alliance of 1778 and the final peace with England of l783.”
No word on who else will star in the series or when it’ll debut.
Eddie Vedder had a “serious” case of COVID-19 ahead of his just-wrapped solo tour.
The Pearl Jam frontman discussed his experience with the virus during his show in Los Angeles last Friday, telling the crowd, “I got the COVID right before we were supposed to start practicing [for the tour], probably five, six weeks ago.”
“[I] literally saw my life flash in front of my eyes,” Vedder said.
He added, “To get through that and then be back in a room like this facing this many people facing this way and listening to us play for you…it’s been a gift and an honor.”
You can watch fan-shot footage of Vedder’s comments streaming now on YouTube.
Vedder’s tour, which supported his new solo album, Earthling, concluded Sunday in San Diego. Both the LA and San Diego shows were postponed from earlier in February due to a positive COVID-19 test amid Vedder’s touring party.
Carly Pearce is receiving a distinct honor from her home state.
The “Every Little Thing” hitmaker will be inducted into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame’s class of 2022 later this year. The Taylor Mill native will join the likes of Loretta Lynn, Keith Whitley and The Backstreet Boys, who are also members of the institution.
“Kentucky is where I learned to love country music and the incredibly talented musicians who wove their stories and texture throughout the genre. From straight-up sass of The Judds and Patty Loveless or truly understanding Loretta Lynn’s heartache, to the bluegrass tinge of Ricky Skaggs and Bill Monroe, their influences have driven my music,” Carly says in a statement. “I am so excited and grateful to be inducted into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame this fall.”
The induction ceremony will take place on October 28 in Renfro Valley. An exhibit about Carly’s career opened at the museum last year.
The Weeknd‘s “Blinding Lights” was named “Global Digital Single of the Year” for 2020 by the Independent Federation of the Phonographic Industry, or IFPI, which represents the recorded music industry worldwide. Now, he’s earned that title again for 2021, with his song “Save Your Tears.”
That makes the Canadian superstar the only artist ever to score that title from the IFPI two years running. The Global Digital Single Award is presented to the world’s best-selling single of the year across all digital formats, including downloads and streams.
What’s more, the IFPI’s list of the top 10 Global Digital Singles of 2021 includes The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” at number seven, more than two years after it was released.
The rest of the top 10 best-selling singles in the world for last year include, in descending order, “STAY” by The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber, “Levitating” by Dua Lipa, “Butter” by BTS, “drivers license” by Olivia Rodrigo, “Peaches” by Justin Bieber, Daniel Caesar and Giveon, “good 4 u” by Olivia, “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” by Lil Nas X, and “Bad Habits” by Ed Sheeran.
Did you notice that Kane Brown tucked a sneaky shout-out to his four-legged best friend into the music video for his single, “One Mississippi”?
It’s true: In the scenes that were shot at a bar, the whiskey featured on the shelves is a brand called Dough Ball, a cookie dough-flavored whiskey that hails from California.
If you look closely at the label on the bottle, the brand’s mascot is a bulldog that looks just like Kane’s own bulldog, Rambo. The singer often posts photos and videos of Rambo on social media, along with the family’s other pup, Nash, a presa canario breed dog who Kane adopted in 2017.
Kane’s dogs get a mention in his 2019 single “Homesick,” and these days, they share the household with Kane, wife Katelyn, and their two daughters, Kingsley and Kodi.
A new behind-the-scenes video about the making of the “One Mississippi” video points out Kane’s tribute to Rambo, plus several other fun facts about the clip and the experience of filming it.
(NEW YORK) — Former President Donald Trump on Monday sought to recast his administration’s role in bolstering Europe’s security, claiming credit for strengthening NATO and arming Ukraine’s military with advanced weaponry.
But critics were quick to point out that Trump, whose “America First” foreign policy slogan often reflected efforts to pull back from allies, frequently undermined NATO and once threatened to withhold military aide from Ukraine — a move that was deemed illegal by a government watchdog and became central to Trump’s first impeachment trial in Congress.
“It was Trump that undermined U.S. national security and froze military assistance to Ukraine,” retired Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, a former National Security Council official during the Trump administration who testified at the impeachment inquiry, told ABC News on Monday. “It was Trump’s attacks on NATO and support from the far-right that encouraged Putin to believe that NATO was fragile. Trump has blood on his hands.”
Nonetheless, as Russian troops continued to clash with Ukrainian forces Monday, Trump boasted of fortifying Ukraine’s defense capabilities and declared that “there would be no NATO” if not for his efforts.
“I hope everyone is able to remember that it was me, as President of the United States, that got delinquent NATO members to start paying their dues, which amounted to hundreds of billions of dollars,” Trump said in a statement.
“Also, it was me that got Ukraine the very effective anti-tank busters (Javelins) when the previous Administration was sending blankets,” he said. “Let History so note!”
Despite his claims of saving NATO, an alliance of 29 countries on both sides of the Atlantic, the Trump administration oversaw a period of immense strain with allies in Europe. As president, Trump wavered on his commitment to Article 5 of the NATO charter, which stipulates that an attack on one member state amounts to attack on them all.
Mick Mulroy, a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense during the Trump administration and now an ABC News contributor, characterized Article 5 as “what makes NATO the most effective military alliance in history.”
Ties with Europe became so strained during Trump’s presidency that Trump reportedly discussed removing the U.S. from NATO entirely. Two of Trump’s former national security advisers, John Bolton and Gen. John Kelly, have said publicly that Trump expressed an interest in exiting the alliance.
“To the extent President Trump’s rhetoric around NATO helped increase defense spending, it was likely more out of a fear that the U.S. commitment to European security was faltering rather than a positive reinforcement of mutual commitments to the Alliance and Euro-Atlantic security,” said Steven Keil, a fellow at the German Marshall Fund.
Critics also took note of Trump’s invocation of the Javelin, a shoulder-fired precision missile system designed to destroy tanks and other armored vehicles, in his infamous July 2019 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Trump, in 2018, had approved the $47 million sale of 210 Javelin anti-tank missiles and 37 launchers to Ukraine — the first lethal military assistance provided to Ukraine by the U.S. in its fight against Russian-supported separatists since fighting began in 2014. Zelenskyy told Trump in the 2019 phone call that his government was “almost ready to buy more Javelins from the United States for defense purposes,” according to a readout of the call.
Trump responded: “I would like you to do us a favor though,” and then pressured Zelenskyy to work with U.S. Attorney General William Barr and his personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, to publicly announce an investigation into then-candidate Joe Biden and his son, Hunter, who had previously served on the board of a Ukrainian oil firm. The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives voted to impeach Trump over the incident, but he was acquitted by the Republican-controlled Senate.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office later found that the Trump administration broke the law in withholding nearly $400 million in congressional appropriations earmarked for Ukraine. The funds were eventually released, and the Trump administration denied any wrongdoing.
