Maroon 5 made Israeli fans’ dreams come true by performing their first show in that country on Monday night — and they also made the dreams of one lucky street performer come true.
As The Jerusalem Postand other outlets reported, when the band arrived in Tel Aviv, Israel a few days ago, Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine looked out his hotel window and spotted the performer, Coral Bismuth, singing for people on the boardwalk outside. One song she happened to sing was Maroon 5’s hit “Sunday Morning.”
Not only did Adam post video of Coral doing the song, but he also followed her on Instagram and invited her to join the band at their show in front of 60,000 fans at the city’s Yarkon Park. Of course, she and Adam sang “Sunday Morning” together.
While Coral has now made her Instagram private, she reportedly wrote of the experience, “I have been playing in the street for five years, spreading my music, love and sunflowers to everyone who passes by. Yesterday I had the incredible privilege of singing for 60,000 people in Yarkon Park in a magical collaboration with Maroon 5 and Adam Levine, the man with the biggest heart I have ever met.”
She added, “I am very grateful for all the love I am receiving from all of you. The dream I never had the courage to have came true. Thank you all.”
Celebrity chef Mario Batali has been found not guilty of indecent assault and battery for an alleged 2017 incident in Boston.
Natalie Tene, 32, said Batali forcibly kissed her and grabbed her breasts, buttocks and groin after meeting him in a Boston bar while having a drink with a friend in March 2017.
Judge James Stanton ultimately decided after two days of testimony and two hours of deliberation in Boston that while Batali “did not cover himself in glory, especially for a person of his stature,” the defendant had “serious credibility issues” and “a financial motive” for making the accusations.
Stanton rendered the verdict directly since Batali waived his right to a jury trial.
On Monday, at the start of the trial, Tene said she was speaking out “to be able to take control of what happened,” while Batali’s defense accused her of fabricating the account and showed text messages in which a friend advised her to “play up the story” to collect money from Batali, to which Tene replied “of course.”
Batali, 61, maintained that he was not guilty of the allegations. Tene has also filed a civil complaint for unspecified damages based on the same allegations.
In 2017, Battali was asked to step away from the ABC show The Chew, which he co-hosted, on the heels of a report from the blog Eater that multiple women had accused him of sexual harassment or misconduct.
In a statement to ABC News at the time, Batali did not deny the allegations and apologized to the people he has “mistreated and hurt.” He also stepped away from the day-to-day operations of his restaurant group in the wake of the Eater article.
Johnny Nunez/2021 BET Hip Hop Awards/Getty Images for BET
Rapper Young Thug was not present in court in Atlanta during Tuesday’s morning scheduled first appearance, after the Atlanta rapper was arrested at his home Monday in connection to gang-related charges. According to ABC affiliate WSB, Fulton County officials say the rapper will instead appear before a Superior Court judge on a date yet to be announced.
Young Thug, whose birth name is Jeffery Williams, is one of 28 people allegedly associated with the Atlanta-based Young Slime Life (YSL) gang who are named in a 88-page, 56-count grand jury indictment, the counts of which include conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, murder, armed robbery, and participation in criminal street gang activity. Authorities say Williams founded YSL — which is also the name of his record imprint, Young Stoner Life — in 2012. A number of those charged are associated with the label.
Williams’ charges include two alleged counts: conspiring to violate the RICO act and participating in street gang activity.
In a statement to ABC News Monday night, Williams’ attorney, Brian Steel, said Williams “has committed no violation of law, whatsoever. We will fight this case ethically, legally and zealously. Mr. Williams will be cleared.”
WSB reports Williams will remained jailed for now. The rapper is scheduled as a performer at the “Young Thug and Friends” concert in Atlanta next month.
Also listed on the indictment is Sergio Kitchens, better known by his rap name, Gunna, who faces one count of violating the RICO act. As of Tuesday afternoon, there has been no confirmation that Gunna was arrested and booked.
Gunna & Thug were recently featured as Billboard‘sMarch cover stars.
The members of Little Big Town aren’t picky when it comes to alcohol, but they still have their beverages of choice.
The group’s rowdy 2020 single, “Wine, Beer, Whiskey,” isn’t just a fun play-on-words song, but a tribute to the three beloved liquors. As for what tempts their individual palettes, Karen Fairchildadmits she likes “all the beverages,” but has an affinity for red wine — particularly a bottle from the band’s wine brand, Four Cellars.
Meanwhile, her husband and bandmate, Jimi Westbrook, is a whiskey man, especially if it’s a glass of E.H. Taylor. “It’s so good. It’s like caramel in a glass. It’s awesome,” he professes. Like Jimi, Philip Sweet will also reach for whiskey, but in the form of a cold shot fresh from the freezer. The singer also likes his tequila neat sans ice, but if he’s feeling fun, he’ll throw in a splash of pineapple juice.
As for Kimberly Schlapman, she’s also a shameless fan of LBT’s alcohol brand, especially their line of Day Drinking canned seltzers, the peach being her favorite flavor. “It’s so yummy,” she compliments.
The Grammy-winning group launched their wine collection in 2017.
Rick Kern/Getty Images for AIDS Healthcare Foundation
After being teased earlier this week, a reported collaboration between Diana Ross and the alternative-rock act Tame Impala has officially been announced.
The two artists will team up for a new song called “Turn Up the Sunshine,” which, as hypothesized, will appear on the soundtrack to the upcoming movie Minions: The Rise of Gru, the latest installment in the Despicable Me animated franchise.
The soundtrack will be produced by Jack Antonoff, and will also feature contributions from a variety of contemporary artists, including St. Vincent, Phoebe Bridgers, Bleachers and Alabama Shakes‘ Brittany Howard. The ’70s-themed compilation consists mostly of covers, including St. Vincent putting a spin on the Lipps Inc. disco classic “Funkytown,” and Howard teaming up with Earth, Wind & Fire‘s Verdine White for a new version of EW&F’s “Shining Star.”
You’ll be able to hear the full soundtrack on July 1, the same day Minions: The Rise of Gru hits theaters.
Steve Harvey says he “lost a lot of respect” for Will Smith following his on-stage slap of Chris Rock during the Oscars.
According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Judge Steve Harvey host was speaking to Georgia State University law students about his life and career when he addressed the incident, calling it a “punk move.”
“I’m a Christian but I’m really undeveloped,” Harvey admitted. “On a scale of 1 to 10, I’m like a 2. That’s the level of Christianity I can work on. You slap [famed preacher and author] T.D. Jakes, he’ll turn the other cheek. You slap me? If you sit back in your seat, Jada would have to move out of the way.”
The stand-up comic-turned-author and entertainment mogul also noted, “I’m just a hood boy. I come from the dirty. Very few will give it to you the way I give it to you. People often don’t want to tell you the side that got them there. That’s my specialty.”
(NEW YORK) — The parents of a 6-year-old marathoner are speaking out after they say child protective services paid their family an unannounced visit and questioned their children at home.
Ben and Kami Crawford shared a photo on Instagram Sunday purportedly of one of their children being interviewed by a CPS staffer. In the accompanying caption, they wrote in part, “Yesterday Child Protective Services (CPS) arrived at our home unannounced and interviewed our children, parents & grandmother. This is a scary process because usually children are interrogated away from parents, against their will, and their answers determine the agency’s legal right to take away the kids.”
The Crawfords made headlines last week after they let their children, including their son Rainier, 6, run the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati on May 1 and shared it online. Their May 3 Instagram post in particular sparked outcry from social media users, with some critics going so far as to accuse the Crawfords of child abuse.
Campbell County, Kentucky, District Attorney Steve Franzen confirmed to “Good Morning America” that child services had visited the Crawfords, but said no determination had been made yet in the investigation.
Ben and Kami Crawford addressed critics’ accusations in a lengthy Instagram video Saturday.
“The real stuff that we got accused of was dragging Rainier, like physically dragging him on the marathon course after mile 13 and across the finish line,” Ben Crawford said.
“If you guys have seen our finish line picture, we all held hands for like the last probably, like, .2, .3 miles,” he added. “We talked about it ahead of time, like that’s what we’re going to do.”
The Crawfords maintain their 6-year-old wanted to run all along and stand by their decision to let the young boy run 26.2 miles.
“I don’t know if I should be angry. I like to believe that people are doing the best that they can. They’re not trying to ruin our life or, you know, they probably are legit afraid for our kids. But also, it’s like, where’s the line?” Ben Crawford asked.
“I feel like we’re doing what we feel passionate about,” Kami Crawford said. “It would be kind of tragic to stop all that.”
Experts say a marathon is a serious physical feat for anyone and it can take a toll on a child.
“If a young child were to run a marathon, I’m worried about electrolyte abnormalities, nausea, vomiting, heatstroke, all these signs and symptoms that may not be that clear in a young child,” Dr. Alok Patel previously told “GMA.”
Children may have a harder time recognizing warning signs of dehydration, exhaustion or other red flags. Parents and caregivers should consult with a child’s pediatrician before a child is permitted to engage in any strenuous exercise.
Next Wednesday, May 18, marks the 10th anniversary of Santana‘s first Las Vegas residency show at the House of Blues inside Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, and coinciding with the occasion, the band will launch its latest engagement at the venue that night.
Carlos Santana and his group also have extended their An Intimate Evening with Santana: Greatest Hits Live Vegas residency into the fall of 2022 with two newly announced eight-date series of concerts, taking place in September and November.
Tickets for all of the new performances go on sale to the general public this Saturday, May 14, at 10 a.m. local time via HouseofBlues.com/Santana, MandalayBay.com and Ticketmaster.com, or by calling 800-745-3000.
Citi card members and Santana fan club members can buy pre-sale tickets starting Wednesday, May 11, at 10 a.m. PT; visit CitiPrivatePass.com and and Santana.com for more information. House of Blues, Live Nation, MGM Rewards and Ticketmaster pre-sales will begin Thursday, May 12, at 10 a.m. PT.
Part of the money from the tickets sold for Santana’s Las Vegas shows will benefit the Milagro Foundation, the charity Carlos co-founded that helps young people in impoverished communities around the world. Some of the proceeds also will be donated to the House of Blues’ Music Forward Foundation, which uses music to help young people develop life skills.
Besides the Vegas shows, Santana will be mounting a major joint trek with Earth, Wind & Fire this summer dubbed Miraculous Supernatural 2022 Tour. The outing is scheduled from a June 17 concert in Chula Vista, California, through an August 27 performance in Tampa, Florida.
Here are all of the dates of Santana’s upcoming Las Vegas residency dates:
(NEW YORK) — Even if you’re not from Manhattan, chances are you’ve heard of, dreamt of or perhaps planned a visit to taste a scoop of Magnolia Bakery’s luscious, creamy, sweet banana pudding.
The New York City confectioner, known for its classic American desserts, has created a cookie with all the taste of the cult-favorite banana pudding.
Magnolia Bakery dropped its banana pudding cookie, which is available on MagnoliaBakery.com and at its 10 bakeries nationwide.
“It took six months to whip up, resulting in a soft, chewy cookie that’s full of flavor great to enjoy on its own or paired with a banana pudding,” a representative for the bakery told “GMA.”
The cookie is made with crushed vanilla wafers and mashed bananas in the dough to bring the classic flavor of the pudding to the baked treat. The treat is also packed with white chocolate chips and their world-famous Banana Pudding mix.
An order of six cookies is available online for $25 plus shipping and in-store cookies cost $3.70 apiece.
(MONTGOMERY, Ala.) — Alabama’s gender-affirming care ban went into effect on May 8, and physicians in the state say they’re scrambling to figure out how provide care for their young transgender patients.
S.B. 184, the Vulnerable Child Protection Act, states that anyone who provides gender-affirming care to anyone under 19 could be convicted of a felony and face up to 10 years in prison and a $15,000 fine.
This type of care includes providing puberty blockers, hormone therapy or physical gender-affirming surgeries.
Pediatric endocrinologist Hussein Abdul-Latif, who provides gender-affirming care for trans youth, told ABC News that before the ban went into effect, he was rushing to see his patients and refill the necessary prescriptions to continue their treatment in the meantime.
He has already seen the fear this legislation has caused as patients prepare for an end to healthcare.
“It was a scramble, trying to gather as many names as possible of the kids that we see in our clinic and make sure that they do have refills called in before the law took effect,” Abdul-Latif said.
Abdul-Latif says patients have attempted suicide due to discrimination, bullying and anti-trans sentiment. With this new law in place, he fears the worst.
“Physicians and the patient and the family [typically] walk through the different options that they have and come to the best solution that works for that particular context,” Abdul-Latif said. “By having a law, it took all that dialogue and that discussion that’s deep and that’s heartfelt … now, there’s no discussion. You just abide by the law or I will put you guys in jail. That is not how medicine is effective, but this is also not how civil society reacts.”
He’s had to cancel in-person appointments with trans patients who live too far away and would waste their time and money just to leave empty-handed, without the gender-affirming treatments they were traveling to him for.
He also said that some patients fell through the cracks and did not receive their prescription refills in time.
Now, Abdul-Latif says he and his fellow physicians that provide such care are left hoping that a federal judge will block the ban following a lawsuit filed by GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) and other civil rights organizations against Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and other state officials seeking an injunction against the law. The judge is expected to issue a decision by the end of the week.
“We’re trying to prepare for the worst-case scenario while we’re hoping for the best-case scenario,” he said.
The governor’s office did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment Tuesday.
The bill’s sponsor, Republican state Sen. Shay Shelnutt, has called gender-affirming health care, “child abuse.”
“We don’t want parents to be abusing their children. We don’t want to make that an option because that’s what it is, it’s child abuse. This is just to protect children,” Shelnutt said on the state Senate floor in February.
After signing the bill into law last month, Ivey said, “I believe very strongly that if the Good Lord made you a boy, you are a boy, and if he made you a girl, you are a girl.”
She continued, “We should especially protect our children from these radical, life-altering drugs and surgeries when they are at such a vulnerable stage in life. Instead, let us all focus on helping them to properly develop into the adults God intended them to be.”
The law was panned by physicians, including Abdullatif, who say it is riddled with misinformation about gender-affirming care.
The legislation makes the claim that puberty blockers can cause infertility or other health risks.
According to physicians, these potential side effects only present real risks after puberty and are not a risk to youth taking puberty blockers.
The bill also cites the higher rate of mental health conditions among transgender people as a reason to ban care — though many medical organizations say poor mental health conditions is due to anti-trans discrimination and lack of gender-affirming care.
“I know that I am a girl and I always have been,” said a 15-year-old transgender girl in a statement from LGBTQ legal advocacy group Lambda Legal. “The possibility of losing access to my medical care because of this law causes me deep anxiety. I would not feel like myself anymore if this lifesaving medication was criminalized.”
Several medical organizations, including American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and American Academy of Pediatrics, have spoken out against the bill.
“The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that youth who identify as transgender have access to comprehensive, gender-affirming, and developmentally appropriate health care that is provided in a safe and inclusive clinical space,” the American Academy of Pediatrics said in a statement.
It continued, “These bills not only ignore these recommendations, they undermine them.”
