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The Betty White Challenge has raised more than $550K

January 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

The Betty White Challenge has raised more than 0K

The Betty White Challenge, created in memory of the late TV icon who passed away on December 31 at the age of 99, has been a smashing success, to say the least.

The challenge, an online event set for January 17 — on what would’ve been the star’s 100th birthday — encourages people to donate $5 to animal rescue organizations in her name.

Since its announcement last week, organizers report that 17,000 fundraisers have been created on Facebook and Instagram and more than $550K has already been raised — 100% of the money going directly to the challenge.

Uber has even joined the Betty White Challenge with a donation of $50,000 to the ASPCA to donate to local shelters.

You can participate nationally in the challenge by donating to Best Friends Animal Society, a national animal welfare organization dedicated to ending the killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters. You can donate on Facebook or Instagram.

You can also click the menu bar on the Facebook mobile app or scroll the menu on the left on facebook.com to find the ‘Fundraisers’ icon, or click here to go straight to an explore page and search for “#BettyWhiteChallenge” fundraisers.

There are several local charities and shelters with active fundraisers that you can support, including SPCA of Wake County in Garner, North Carolina or Kitsap Humane Society in Silverdale, Washington.

Has Madonna found the star of her upcoming biopic?

January 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Ever since Madonna announced that she was making a movie of her life, there’s been speculation as to who would play her. Now she may be hinting that she’s found her star.

The Queen of Pop posted a photo of herself and model/actress Julia Fox embracing on a couch and captioned it, “Went to dinner with Julia to talk about my movie and some other folks showed up.”

Among the “other folks” in the slideshow: Fox’s boyfriend Kanye West, boxer Floyd Mayweather and football player Antonio Brown. According to the New York Post, the celebs were all together Wednesday night at L.A. hotspot Delilah’s.

Later that evening — actually, early the next morning, around 3 a.m. — West allegedly punched a man who asked for his autograph outside the members-only club Soho Warehouse; he’s now being investigated for misdemeanor battery.

Fox is best known for her appearance in the 2019 movie Uncut Gems.

Madonna is producing, co-writing and directing the biopic, which has been in the works for quite a while now. She wrote in October that the script was “almost finished.”

The Lumineers premiere video for ‘Brightside’ track “Where We Are”

January 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

The Lumineers have premiered the video for “Where We Are,” a track off the band’s just-released new album, Brightside.

The clip, which is streaming now via Facebook, dramatizes the story of “Where We Are,” in which frontman Wesley Schultz details a frightening car accident.

Brightside, the fourth Lumineers album, is out today. Its title track, which was released as the record’s lead single, has led Billboard‘s Alternative Airplay chart for the last four weeks.

The Lumineers launch a European tour in support of Brightside in February. They’ll return to the U.S. in March to play Florida’s Innings Festival.

Elton John, Ringo Starr, Stevie Wonder featured on Eddie Vedder’s new solo album, ‘Earthling’

January 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder has revealed new details about his forthcoming solo album, Earthling, including the fact that some very famous musicians have lent their talents to the project, including Elton John, Ringo Starr and Stevie Wonder.

Elton appears on a song titled “Picture,” while it wasn’t announced which tracks feature Ringo and Stevie.

Also contributing to the album are three members of Vedder’s Earthlings solo band: Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, ex-RHCP guitarist and current Pearl Jam touring member Josh Klinghoffer, and guitarist and producer Andrew Watt.

Interestingly, Vedder contributed to a song called “E-Ticket” from Elton’s latest album, 2021’s The Lockdown Sessions, while Elton, Smith and Watt, along with Miley Cyrus, Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo and famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma, all collaborated on a version of Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters” that also appears on The Lockdown Sessions as well as on last year’s The Metallica Blacklist tribute record.

Meanwhile, Vedder has shared a new song from Earthling called “Brother the Cloud.” The track, which you can download and stream now via digital outlets, is the third advance cut to be released from the record, following “Long Way” and “The Haves.” Smith, Klinghoffer and Watt all play on the track.

Earthling, Eddie’s first solo effort in 11 years, is due out on February 11. Vedder and the Earthlings will launch a tour in support of the record February 3 in New York City.

(Video contains uncensored profanity.)

“These moments are precious…” On stage, Dave Chappelle regrets not texting back his “comrade” Bob Saget

January 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NOTE LANGUAGE) On stage on Thursday night, Dave Chappelle mourned the loss of his friend and fellow stand-up Bob Saget, who was found dead in his Orlando hotel room on Sunday.

His comments during a performance, which TMZ said was at West Hollywood’s Peppermint Club, were posted by the gossip site.

“I didn’t see Bob coming,” admitted Chappelle of the death of the 65-year-old. Chappelle noted because he got started so young in comedy, he’s unfortunately seen many former colleagues pass.

Dave mentioned Thursday night that he was “going to lay my comrade to rest tomorrow,” adding he regretted not returning a text Saget sent him before he passed.

“I was busy, it happens,” Dave said, but used it to “remind” his audience that none of us know what’s going to happen. “These moments are precious,” Dave said, to applause. “When I’m going out at night, I’m making memories. S***, I’m making history,” he said.

“Run This Town”: Jay-Z second highest paid musician in 2021; Kanye West was number four

January 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Jay-Z and Kanye West hit double platinum in 2009 with “Run This Town” featuring Rihanna, and since then, they have been running the music industry. They are consistently in the top ten of the highest paid musicians of the year, and in 2021 they were in the top five

Hova earned $470 million in 2021, second only to Bruce Springsteen who earned $590 million according to Rolling Stone. For hip hop’s first billionaire, it was the highest annual earnings total of his career. Last year, he sold half of his Armand de Brignac champagne for $300 million, and 80 percent of his Tidal streaming service for $302 million.

His many partnerships include deals with the NFL, Puma and Tiffany & Co. Plus, he owns Roc Nation, with an artist roster including Rihanna, Alicia Keys, DJ Khaled, Megan Thee Stallion, Meek Mill, and many more.

His longtime collaborator Kanye legally changed his name to Ye, and his Donda album was one of the biggest releases of 2021, earning a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year. His Yeezy footwear accounted for the vast majority of his income in the past year, and his net worth could increase with his new apparel deal with Gap.

Here are the 10 artists who made the most money in 2021:

1. Bruce Springsteen – $590 million
2. Jay-Z – $470 million
3. Paul Simon – $260 million
4. Kanye West – $250 million
5. Ryan Tedder – $200 million
6. Red Hot Chili Peppers – $145 million
7. Lindsey Buckingham – $100 million
8. Mötley Crüe – $95 million
9. Blake Shelton – $83 million
10. Taylor Swift – $80 million

Zac Brown Band to launch 2022 Out in the Middle Tour: “We’re so excited”

January 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Zac Brown Band is returning to the road this April. They just announced plans for their headlining 2022 Out in the Middle Tour, which begins with a stop in Greenville, South Carolina.

The sweeping, 34-stop trek will keep ZBB busy well into the fall, with shows across the U.S. and a couple of Canadian dates, too. The run will wrap in November with a show in Phoenix, Arizona.

“Performing in front of millions of fans around the world is one of the most electrifying and humbling things,” says frontman Zac Brown. “We’re so excited to go back out on the road and keep the unbelievable momentum going from The Comeback Tour. It’s been such an incredible year for the band, debuting some of the best music we’ve ever made, and we are thrilled to continue playing live for our amazing fans.”

Touring isn’t something the band takes for granted these days: They were among the first acts to wipe their 2020 calendars clean when the COVID-19 pandemic first ramped up in the U.S., and earlier this year, they had to pause their Comeback Tour after Zac tested positive for the virus.

Still, it’s been an exciting year musically for ZBB. Their 2021 album, The Comeback, was a big hit with their fan base, and its single, “Same Boat,” topped the country radio charts.

Joining ZBB on tour will be Caroline Jones, who was also an opening act on The Comeback Tour. The Robert Rudolph Band is also joining the bill, along with more opening acts that ZBB will reveal at a later date.

Tickets for the 2022 Out in the Middle Tour go on sale on January 21.

Julie Bowen shoots her shot with Harry Styles: “Look at him!”

January 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Modern Family star Julie Bowen says she’s on a hiatus from the dating world — but there is one person for whom she’d make an exception.

Appearing on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Julie revealed that she fancies Harry Styles and would relish the opportunity to cozy up with him.

The 51-year-old actress remarked that she is “very single” but has taken a sabbatical from dating because she hasn’t been impressed by the list of available bachelors. “I did go on some dates and this guy was like ‘You have to come to my house because I have a dog.’ And I was like, ‘I’m getting a dog, that’s the trick.’ Now it’s on my terms,” she laughed, adding that her new pooch is a “retirement gift.”

When teased by guest host Adam Devine about her secret crush on the British pop star, Julie readily admitted she’d give up the single life for him in a heartbeat. “You’re asking me if I’d come out of [dating] retirement for Harry Styles? Oh, hell yeah. Him? Look at him,” she gushed, calling him “gorgeous and sexy.”

Referring to the 27-year-old’s summertime hit, Julie added, “He’s just bringing the joy and the light and the “Watermelon Sugar”. You just feel good about the whole experience.”

Unfortunately, she will have to wait her turn because Harry is in a reported relationship with actress Olivia Wilde.

‘Where We Started’: Thomas Rhett’s next album includes collabs with Katy Perry, Riley Green and more

January 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Thomas Rhett is putting the “we” in Where We Started as he announces new collaboration details about his next studio project. The track list includes duets with Riley Green, Florida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard, Russell Dickerson and pop superstar Katy Perry.

Katy lends her voice to the title track, which is the last on the 15-song set. Tyler and Russell join Thomas for a song called “Death Row,” while Riley — Thomas’ fishing buddy and frequent collaborator — appears on “Half of Me.”

The new project — which comes in between Thomas’ Country Again: Side A and Side B — was inspired by his post-pandemic shutdowns return to the road, he says.

“For me, getting into the entertainer headspace and back onstage was euphoria,” the singer says. “When you go a year and a half without it, then feel it for the first time again, it’s the coolest thing in the world. That’s really where my brain has been and where these songs came from.”

Thomas dropped two tracks off the album on Friday: The turbo-charged ballad “Angels” and rootsy party track, “Church Boots.” The full song set will come out April 1.

Slash & the Conspirators drop new song, “Call Off the Dogs”

January 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Slash and his solo band Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators have premiered a new song called “Call of the Dogs.”

The track, which is available now for digital download, will appear on the group’s upcoming album 4. It’s the third cut to be released from the record, following “The River Is Rising” and “Fill My World.”

4, the aptly titled fourth Conspirators effort, will arrive in full on February 11.

Slash and company will hit the road in support of 4 on a U.S. headlining tour kicking off February 8 in Portland.

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