Rob Thomas is a big Christmas fan, as you might assume from his new holiday album Something About Christmas Time. But as a kid, he says he “hated” Christmas, not because of the holiday itself, but because of the weather, which wasn’t exactly “Christmassy.”
The Matchbox Twenty singer lived in South Carolina as a small child and then moved to Florida at age 10.
“I mean, I hated it, because I started off in South Carolina where it’s a little more wintery and…you get some snow,” he tells ABC Audio.
“So for years and years, when I was young, we would all go to South Carolina for Christmas, and it always kinda still felt a little Christmassy,” Thomas continues. “But then, when my grandparents passed away and we didn’t really have anybody to go see — just spending Christmas in Florida…people get excited because, you know, you needed a coat. Like, ‘Oh, I need to wear a coat. It feels like Christmas!'”
But since Rob has lived in the New York area for over 20 years, he now gets more snow that he can handle, and says “all my great [Christmas] memories are of New York.”
Thomas says he’d love to be able to celebrate in Manhattan again like he did in the before times: December of 2019.
“It was one of our favorite Christmases of all time,” he tells ABC Audio. “My wife and her mom and I did the full traditional [thing]. We went to the Rockettes and then we went to The Plaza and had a really nice dinner there…and it just felt very ‘New York Christmas,’ for lack of a better term.”
“I would love something like that,” Thomas admits. “I’m just not sure of my [comfort] factor right now, still, just being out and about.”
Eric Clapton‘s management said on Wednesday that he wouldn’t pursue the nearly $4,000 fine ordered against a German widow who attempted to sell a Clapton bootleg online.
Following a significant public backlash again the three-time Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Clapton’s management attempted to clarify the guitarist’s role in the suit, as well as their reason for pursuing legal action, in a statement to his fan club.
Germany, the statement explains, “is one of several countries where sales of unauthorized and usually poor-quality illegal bootleg CDs are rife.” As a result, Clapton “and a significant number of other well-known artists and record companies” hired German lawyers in the region to restrict the sale of the bootlegs.
“It is not the intention to target individuals selling isolated CDs from their own collection, but rather the active bootleggers manufacturing unauthorized copies for sale,” the statement continues. Had the widow, Gabrielle P., complied with the cease-and-desist letter, they say, “any costs would be minimal, or might be waived.”
However, the woman — who claimed that she had inherited the disc from her late husband and didn’t realize it was bootlegged — told them through her lawyer to “feel free to file a lawsuit if you insist on the demands.” Her attempt to have the case dismissed was rejected and the judge ruled in favor of Clapton’s camp, ordering her to pay $4,000 in legal fees for both parties.
“If the individual had complied” and “explained at the outset the full facts…any claim might have been waived, and costs avoided,” Clapton’s management said.
“When the full facts of this particular case came to light and it was clear the individual is not the type of person Eric Clapton, or his record company, wish to target,” they say, Clapton decided not to take further action.
The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday authorized Merck’s COVID-19 pill for certain adults.
The authorization is limited to adults who have a high risk of severe illness and for whom alternative FDA-authorized treatment options are not accessible or medically appropriate.
This is the second COVID-19 treatment in pill form after Pfizer’s pills were authorized Wednesday.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
ABC News’ Sony Salzman contributed to this report.
In a recent TikTok, the Jo-Bro shared a photo of himself in the audience at Coachella in 2016 and revealed that he was high during the event.
“Thinking no one can tell I’m high at Coachella,” he confessed in the text, superimposed on the photo. Joe posted to confession alongside himself mouthing along to a popular Tyra Banks line that originated from America’s Next Top Model.
“It is so bad, I want to give you a ‘zero,'” Joe mouths while looking embarrassed. “But that’s not possible so I give you a ‘one.'”
(MOSCOW) — Amid fears Russia might invade Ukraine, Russia’s president Vladimir Putin has again repeated demands for guarantees from Western countries that NATO will not expand in eastern Europe, but also expressed hope that negotiations with the Biden administration in January could allow the two sides to “move forward.”
Putin offered the mixed messages on Thursday during his marathon end-of-year press conference in Moscow, making menacing accusations against Ukraine but also sounding more hopeful notes around the possibility for negotiation.
Western countries are alarmed that Russia may be preparing a renewed invasion into Ukraine this winter, amid a build up of tens of thousands of Russian troops on its border. Putin has demanded the U.S. and NATO give legal guarantees the alliance will not expand further and withdraw NATO troop deployments from eastern Europe.
The Biden administration has called those demands non-starters but has agreed to hold talks with Russia over its concerns. Putin on Thursday said those talks would take place in Geneva in January and said Russia had seen a “positive reaction” from the U.S. to its demands to negotiate.
“I hope that the first positive reaction and the announced possible start of work in the near future, in the first days of January, will allow us to move forward,” Putin said.
Putin said Russia was forced to confront NATO and Ukraine now to prevent the country potentially becoming a base for NATO missiles in the future.
“And so we put the question directly: there must be no movement of NATO further to the east,” he said. “The ball is in their court. They must answer us something.”
The U.S. and NATO countries have rejected Russia’s demands for a veto on NATO expansion, seeing them as an attempt by the Kremlin to have formal recognition for a sphere of influence over Ukraine. Analysts and Western officials have been trying to understand whether the Russian build up is a negotiating tactic or signals a real readiness to invade.
Putin’s comments on Thursday did little to move the needle. He said Russia did not want conflict but alleged there Ukraine might be preparing a military operation to re-take the Russian-controlled separatist regions in its east, saying Kyiv had tried to do it twice before in the past.
“They keep telling us: war, war, war,” Putin said. “There is an impression that, maybe, they are preparing for the third military operation and are warning us in advance: do not intervene, do not protect these people. But if you do intervene and protect them, there will be new sanctions. Perhaps, we should prepare for that.”
Analysts fear Russia might use the accusation of a Ukrainian attack as pretext to launch its own invasion. There are no signs Ukraine’s government is preparing such an assault, which would risk an overwhelming Russian response.
Russia last week published two draft treaties listing its demands from the U.S. and NATO. The proposals would limit NATO troops and military infrastructure to the countries where they were based before 1997, when the key eastern European members joined.
The Biden administration immediately rejected Russia’s demands limiting which countries can join NATO. But it has said it is ready to hold talks with Moscow about some of the other proposals, which are linked to arms control for example.
Putin spoke at length and angrily about NATO’s expansion eastward since the end of the Cold War, a grievance he has long held.
Asked by a journalist from Britain’s Sky News on Thursday if he would guarantee Russia will not invade Ukraine, Putin said it was Russia that needed guarantees from Western countries over NATO.
“What guarantees must we give you? You must give us guarantees. Right here and right now!” Putin said.
Sorry, John Wick fans — you’ll have to wait a little bit longer for the fourth installment of the Keanu Reeves-led franchise. In a teaser released Wednesday, Lionsgate announced that John Wick: Chapter 4 — Hagakure will hit theaters on March 24, 2023. It was initially scheduled for a May 27, 2022 release…
Atlanta finally has a return date. After a three-year hiatus, the award-winning Donald Glover series will kick off its third season on March 24 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on FX. The premiere event will air the first two episodes of the 10-episode season, which will take place almost entirely in Europe as we find the characters in the midst of a successful European tour. You can catch a teaser-trailer for the new season during ESPN and ABC’s slate of NBA games on Christmas Day…
The wait is almost over for a slew of HBO Max shows held up due to production delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The streaming service released a new sizzle reel on Wednesday revealing a slew of shows coming in 2022, including the Game of Thrones spinoff House of the Dragon, the Suicide Squad spinoff Peacemaker, season four of Westworld, season three of Barry, and second seasons of The Flight Attendant and Euphoria. Major 2021 films like Free Guy, F9 and The Last Duel will also hit HBO Max next year, along with new releases like The Father of the Bride remake, Kimi, The Fallout, Scoob: Holiday Hunt, House Party and Moonshot. Premiere dates have yet to be announced…
Michael Keaton is expected to reprise his role as Bruce Wayne/Batman, the character he originated in Tim Burton’s 1989 film, for HBO Max’s superhero feature Batgirl, according to Variety. He would star alongside Leslie Grace, who’s been tapped to play the titular role. While plot details have been kept under wraps, the film centers on the heroine, whose real identity is Barbara Gordon, the daughter of Gotham police commissioner Jim Gordon — played by J.K. Simmons, reprising his role from Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Brendan Fraser will play Firefly, a sociopathic villain with a passion for pyrotechnics. Batgirl is slated for a 2022 release…
The Critics Choice Association has decided to postpone this year’s Critics Choice Awards due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic and its Omicron variant. “After thoughtful consideration and candid conversations with our partners at The CW and TBS, we have collectively come to the conclusion that the prudent and responsible decision at this point is to postpone the 27th Annual Critics Choice Awards, originally slated for January 9, 2022,” the CCA announced Wednesday evening. “We are in regular communication with LA County Public Health officials, and we are currently working diligently to find a new date during the upcoming awards season in which to host our annual gala in-person with everyone’s safety and health remaining our top priority”…
(PHILADELPHIA) — Democratic Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon was carjacked at gunpoint in broad daylight Wednesday afternoon in south Philadelphia’s largest park following a business meeting.
The congresswoman was left unharmed, according to a statement provided to ABC News by her spokesperson, Lauren Cox.
“Wednesday afternoon, at around 2:45 p.m., Congresswoman Scanlon was carjacked at gunpoint in FDR Park following a meeting at that location. The Congresswoman was physically unharmed,” Cox said in a statement.
“She thanks the Philadelphia Police Department for their swift response, and appreciates the efforts of both the Sergeant at Arms in D.C. and her local police department for coordinating with Philly PD to ensure her continued safety,” the statement said.
Five suspects were taken into custody in Newark, Delaware, at about 9 p.m., when they were found inside Scanlon’s Acura MDX in a parking lot, Delaware State Police said. Their names were not released.
Scanlon, who was first elected to Congress in 2018, represents the 5th Congressional District in Pennsylvania, which includes parts of south Philadelphia.
Her spokesperson confirmed that Scanlon’s personal belongings, including her personal and government-issued phones and identification, were stolen by the perpetrators.
Philadelphia’s mayor, Jim Kenney, released a statement condemning the incident.
“I’m appalled to learn of this violent crime that was perpetrated against my friend and colleague, Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon. Everyone deserves to feel safe in our city, and sadly, as we know, that hasn’t always been the case this year. It’s disheartening, and quite frankly infuriating, that criminals feel emboldened to commit such a reckless crime in the middle of the day in what should be a place of tranquility and peace—one of Philadelphia’s beautiful parks,” he said in a statement.
“I’m thankful that she was not physically harmed during this incident, and my thoughts are with her during what I’m sure is a traumatic time. I’m also thankful that our police officers have been working hard to identify violent criminals and get them off our streets. PPD is actively investigating this incident. We simply cannot and will not tolerate any acts of violence. If anyone has any information about this incident—or any other crime—please call or text PPD’s anonymous tip line at 215-686-TIPS.”
The incident comes amid a violent year in Philadelphia, which saw a spike in both gunpoint robberies and auto thefts.
Philadelphia is seeing at least an 80% increase in carjackings in 2021, compared with the total number in 2020, Philadelphia Police have said.
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Sunday’s sports events:
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Boston 111, Cleveland 101
Orlando 104, Atlanta 98
Oklahoma City 108, Denver 94
Milwaukee 126, Houston 106
LA Clippers 105, Sacramento 89
Toronto at Chicago (Postponed)
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Colorado at Buffalo (Postponed)
Montreal at NY Rangers (Postponed)
Winnipeg at Dallas (Postponed)
Edmonton at Los Angeles (Postponed)
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Duke 76, Virginia Tech 65
Tennessee 77, Arizona 73
Auburn 71, Murray St. 58
Houston 80, Texas St. 47
Texas 68, Alabama St. 48
LSU 95, Lipscomb 60
Kentucky 95, W. Kentucky 60
Texas Tech 78, E. Washington 46
Cal Poly at UCLA (Canceled)
Louisville at Kentucky (Postponed)
Georgetown at Providence (Canceled)
Britney Spears killed two birds with one Instagram post, calling out her family and teasing new music on Wednesday.
Sharing a video of herself singing while wearing black pants and a purple crop top, the 40-year-old pop star, who was recently released from her 13-year-long conservatorship, wrote, “I just realized this today guys… after what my family tried to do to me three years ago… I needed to be my own cheerleader !!!! God knows they weren’t,” according to People.
Britney also took a moment to pat herself on the back regarding her accomplishments over the years.
“So I just read up on my self [sic] and this is what I found: Multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning pop icon Britney Spears is one of the most successful and celebrated entertainers in pop history with nearly 100 million records sold worldwide. In the U.S. alone, she has sold more than 70 million albums, singles and songs, according to Nielsen Music,” she noted.
The “Toxic” singer continued, “Spears has sold 33.6 million albums in the U.S. and ranks as the 18th-best selling album artist in the Nielsen era. Her songs have drawn 25 billion in cumulative radio airplay audience and 2.6 billion on-demand U.S. audio and video streams combined and she’s sold 39.8 million singles (36.9 million via downloads).”
Explaining why she’ll be her own cheerleader, Britney added, “I’m here to remind my white “classy” family that I haven’t forgotten what they did to me nor will I ever forget !!!!,” before teasing she’s got a “new song in the works … I’m gonna let you know what I mean !!!!!”
Spears has since deleted the caption from her post.
As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe, more than 5.3 million people have died from the disease worldwide, including over 812,000 Americans, according to real-time data compiled by Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering.
About 61.7% of the population in the United States is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Dec 23, 5:44 am
Rep. Jan Schakowsky tests positive for COVID
Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., has tested positive for COVID-19.
Schakowsky said her husband, Bob, had tested positive last week. After several negative tests, the lawmaker also tested positive on Tuesday night, she said on Twitter.
Both Schakowskys were vaccinated and received boosters. They’re now quarantining, she said.
“We got tested when we felt something was off, and now we can prevent exposure to our family and loved ones,” Schakowsky said. “I implore you to do the same before holiday gatherings this week and next. Get tested if you feel sick or have been around someone who tests positive.”
ABC News’s Ben Siegel
Dec 22, 10:58 pm
Rep. Jim Clyburn, majority whip, tests positive for COVID
Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., the No. 3 Democrat in the House, said Wednesday night that he had tested positive for COVID. The 81-year-old lawmaker said he’s vaccinated and currently asymptomatic.
“America is in a new phase of this pandemic. No one is immune,” he wrote. “I urge anyone who has not done so to protect themselves by getting vaccinated and boosted.”
He said he has been in quarantine since Sunday awaiting results and missed his granddaughter’s wedding because of testing positive.
Clyburn played a crucial role in getting President Joe Biden elected last year when he endorsed him ahead of the South Carolina primary. Biden won the contest and carried the momentum through to the presidency.
The congressman appeared on stage with Biden on Dec. 17 at South Carolina State University’s graduation ceremony. Biden gave the commencement address while Clyburn received his diploma after graduating in 1961 but missing the ceremony. Both were wearing masks on stage and Clyburn said he tested negative ahead of the ceremony.
Clyburn was the eighth member of Congress — six representatives and two senators — to publicly disclose they tested positive for COVID this week. Later on Wednesday, Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., became the ninth member to confirm a positive test.
The Critics Choice Awards, initially scheduled to be held in person in Los Angeles next month, will be postponed, the association behind the film and television awards show announced Wednesday.
“After thoughtful consideration and candid conversations with our partners at The CW and TBS, we have collectively come to the conclusion that the prudent and responsible decision at this point is to postpone the 27th Annual Critics Choice Awards,” the Critics Choice Association said in a statement.
Organizers are working to find a new date during the upcoming awards season to hold the gala in person “with everyone’s safety and health remaining our top priority,” it said.
The Critics Choice Awards would have been the first major televised awards show of the season.
The announcement comes as the Los Angeles County health department reported 6,500 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, double the number from the day before and one of the steepest rises the county has seen during the pandemic.
The daily average case rate for the county has also more than doubled since last week, to 29 cases per 100,000 people. Test positivity has jumped to 4.5%, up from 1.9% last Thursday.
Health officials said new cases could reach over 20,000 by the end of the year due to the highly transmissible omicron variant.
ABC News’ Jason Nathanson and Nick Kerr
Dec 22, 7:36 pm
SCOTUS to decide fate of Biden vaccine mandates for large businesses, health care workers
The U.S. Supreme Court said Wednesday it will take up challenges to the Biden administration’s federal vaccine mandates for large businesses and health care workers, scheduling an expedited hearing for Jan. 7, 2022.
In a pair of orders accepting the cases, the high court put off immediate action on the mandates until after oral arguments next month.
Last week, a federal appeals court reinstated the emergency rule from the Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration requiring private companies with 100 or more employees to mandate vaccinations or conduct weekly testing to ensure workplace safety. Multiple Republican state attorneys general, business organizations and other groups appealed the decision to the Supreme Court.
The Biden administration has since said masks among unvaccinated employees must be enforced starting Jan. 10 and proof of vaccination or testing compliance begins Feb. 9. The requirement remains in effect.
A separate rule by the Department of Health and Human Services requiring vaccinations of workers at facilities that receive funds to treat Medicare and Medicaid patients remains on hold. The Biden administration has asked the justices to reinstate it.
