Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for Country Music Hall Of Fame & Museum
Tim McGraw and Faith Hill are set to star in the prequel to Yellowstone.
Described in a release as “a stark retelling of Western expansion,” the series titled 1883 will follow “the Dutton family as they embark on a journey west through the Great Plains” to “flee poverty to seek a better future in… Montana.” The show will also feature Oscar winner Sam Elliott.
Tim and Faith will play James and Margaret Dutton, the “patriarch and matriarch” of the family.
“This is truly a dream job,” Tim says. “[Show creator] Taylor [Sheridan] has found a way of storytelling that brilliantly creates these epic dramas and family sagas with so much depth and creativity. The Duttons are tremendous characters and it’s so thrilling to be able to bring them to life.”
“As a kid growing up riding horses,” Tim adds, “you think about dream jobs like this and I am just so excited to work with this amazing cast and crew.”
His real-life wife agrees.
“This is the opportunity of a lifetime,” Faith says. “The Duttons are a formidable family and it is an absolute dream to bring such a strong female character like Margaret Dutton to life. I am humbled and honored to work with Taylor and his entire team.”
You’ll be able to watch 1883 via the Paramount+ streaming service. So far, there’s no word on when it will premiere.
Elena Di Vincenzo/Archivio Elena Di Vincenzo/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images
Besides being the godmother of punk, Patti Smith also is an acclaimed poet and an award-winning author. So it’s no surprise Smith is the singer with the biggest vocabulary, according to a new study that ranks 200 different music artists based on their song lyrics.
Word.Tips, which conducted the study, found that Smith uses 217 unique words per 1,000 words appearing in her songs.
At #2 is legendary singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell, with 199. Other veteran artists ranked in the top 10 include late Doors frontman Jim Morrison at #4, with 177; late country singer Hank Williams at #6, with 167; The Everly Brothers‘ Don Everly at #7, with 163; Bonnie Raitt at #8, with 159; and the late Johnny Cash at #10, with 158.
Perhaps surprisingly, Bob Dylan, the singer/songwriter considered by many to be one of the music world’s greatest wordsmiths, was at #44 on the list with 130 unique words per 1,000 — tied with David Bowie.
However, Dylan does top a separate list ranking the artists who have used the most unique words over the course of their entire career. According to the study, he has 12,285 different words in his songs. Prince is second on the tally, with 11,430; Elton John is third, with 9,467; Lou Reed‘s fourth, with 8,979; and Bruce Springsteen is fifth, with 8,862.
The artists that are part of the study came from Rolling Stone‘s list of the “100 Greatest Singers of All Time,” and a list of Spotify’s 100 most-listened-to modern stars as determined by Kworb.net.
(CALIFORNIA) — For her 40th birthday, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, launched a mentorship initiative for women re-entering the workforce after losing their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The campaign — from the duchess’ nonprofit foundation, Archewell, which she founded with husband Prince Harry — is named 40×40 and is meant to encourage people around the world to give 40 minutes of their time to support women going back to work.
“In reflecting on my 40th birthday and the many things I am grateful for, I’m struck that time is among our greatest and most essential gifts: Time with our loved ones, time doing the things we love, time spent learning, laughing, growing, and the sacred time we have on this earth,” Meghan wrote. “Amongst the most valuable gifts of time is also time spent in service to others knowing that it can contribute to incredible change.”
“To that last point, and with my 40th lap around the sun in mind, it made me wonder: What would happen if we all committed 40 minutes to helping someone else or to mentoring someone in need?” she continued. “And then what would happen if we asked our friends to do the same?”
The duchess went on to note that “tens of millions of women around the world have left the workforce” due to COVID-19, “including over 2 million in the U.S.” She also noted that “the latest research shows that fewer women than men will regain work” as society rebounds from the pandemic.
“I believe mentorship is one way to help women regain confidence and rebuild their economic strength,” Meghan added.
“The time that you donate can contribute to a global wave of service and set in motion meaningful impact in our own communities, and across the world,” she concluded.
Meghan asked 40 activists, athletes, artists and world leaders to join her in donating 40 minutes of mentorship. Among those who have agreed to participating include Adele, Amanda Gorman, Amanda Nguyen, Deepak Chopra, Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, Gloria Steinem, José Andrés, Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau and Stella McCartney.
For more information on 40×40, including how you can get involved, visit the Archewell site.
Have you ever wondered if you can really reverse an odometer by driving your dad’s vintage Ferrari in reverse, a la Ferris Bueller? Or how Fred Flinstone was able to get his foot-powered family car rolling?
If so, you’re in luck, as Motor MythBusters, a spin-off of the hit original MythBusters series, is revving up today on the MotorTrend app.
Tory Belleci, special effects whiz and MythBusters veteran, joins All Girls Garage star and ace mechanicFaye Hadley, as well as engineer and professional race car driver Bisi Ezerioha, to take on the myths about vehicles of all kinds from movies and TV shows.
“When they first called, I didn’t actually believe it was going to happen just because there had been so many kind of reboots…of MythBusters,” Tory admitted to ABC Audio.
Calling it the “gearhead’s MythBusters,” Tory explains of his co-stars, “the skills that these guys bring to the show, it’s allowing us to do things that we would never have been able to do in the original series.”
Speaking of which, Faye admitted with a laugh, “I grew up under a rock, I never had television. I never heard of MythBusters!” She said she couldn’t believe they’d want her for the job. “I’m like…’I’m not a host, I’m a mechanic!'”
As for Bisi, he was a huge fan of the original, so getting a chance to work on the spin-off was a full-circle moment. “I wasn’t made privy to what show it was [during auditions].” he says. “And then when it was said what show it was…I fell out of my chair, literally.”
The first two Motor MythBusters episodes are now live on the MotorTrend app.
Jadakiss backstage at Madison Square Garden during his August 3, 2021 Verzuz; Johnny Nunez/WireImage
Jadakiss feels like Kobe Bryant after Tuesday night’s Verzuz battle between The Lox and Dipset. Both legendary rap groups went back and forth playing their group anthems, as well as their classic solo hits, at the Hulu Theater in New York City’s Madison Square Garden.
On Wednesday, Jadakiss crowned himself “The Black Mamba of the vocals” on Instagram and shared a photo of himself wearing a DMX jacket while holding a bottle of what appears to be champagne. The image pays homage to late Los Angeles Lakers playerBryant, who sat in the same pose while holding the championship trophy after defeating the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2001 NBA Finals.
Jadakiss is the first rapper to win two Verzuz battles after his solo match-up against Fabulous in June 2020. Fans were impressed with the Lox rapper delivering another killer performance at the age of 46 with the same passion and hunger he had during his early years under Bad Boy Records.
“Jadakiss smoked Fab and Dipset by himself. Now yall understand why Kiss is top five dead or alive,” tweeted one fan, while another said, “If you want to be a rapper, study Jadakiss’ breath control.”
Another fan tweeted, “Jadakiss went through two different #verzuz and ran each one, solo and with a crew. It’s proper time we rewrite the books on how damn special he is at this rapping/performing/entertainment thing.”
(NEW YORK) — After being postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the annual Met Gala is making a comeback with updated COVID-19 protocols.
As opposed to its usual “first Monday in May,” the highly acclaimed fashion extravaganza will be held on Sept. 13 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
While we are used to seeing celebrities and fashion insiders show up in full glam and wide smiles, this year’s attendees will be required to wear face masks.
Anyone attending must also provide proof of a COVID-19 vaccination to partake in this year’s festivities.
“Currently, all attendees at The Met Gala on September 13 must provide proof of full vaccination and will also be expected to wear masks indoors except when eating or drinking,” a spokesperson for The Met confirmed to People. “We will update these guidelines as needed.”
The guidance comes shortly after New York City announced a vaccine mandate for many indoor activities this week.
The Council of Fashion Designers of America and IMG also announced that all September New York Fashion Week events will require proof of vaccination for any guests, staff members or individuals on site.
While the Met Gala will look very different with COVID-19 restrictions in place, one aspect that does remain the same is this year’s theme: “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion.”
Also, the affair will be broken into two events starting with the ball and following with an exhibition set to open on Sept. 18 at the Anna Wintour Costume Center, exploring “a modern vocabulary of American fashion.”
This year’s event will also commemorate the Costume Institute’s 75 birthday.
“The @metmuseum’s annual Costume Institute Gala has become synonymous with striking displays of couture, rivaled only by the masterful coifs — decorated with subtle blooms and subversive headpieces alike — that accompany them,” Vogue Magazine captioned a photo by Phil Oh.
For the first time ever, the Met Gala is also planning to feature a sustainable plant-based menu with recipes from 10 New York City chefs, including Fariyal Abdullahi, Nasim Alikhani and Emma Bengtsson.
The chefs were chosen by restaurateur Marcus Samuelsson and Bon Appétit to showcase the talent throughout the industry.
“After a difficult two years for the restaurant industry, this will showcase the work and tell the stories of a dynamic group of chefs while presenting an exciting menu of delicious, plant-based dishes,” Samuelsson told Vogue. “The gala offers an incomparable opportunity for emerging talent to elevate their careers and share their perspectives and craft.”
The Weeknd will release his eagerly anticipated new song “Take My Breath” on Friday, but the video for the clip won’t premiere in IMAX theaters as originally planned.
A source tells Variety that the video was set to air before showings of the new movie The Suicide Squad, but those plans have been cancelled because there is “intense strobe lighting” in the clip, and that might trigger epileptic seizures in some viewers.
The Weeknd announced the track on Instagram as part of an Olympics promo focusing on the U.S. Women’s Track & Field team through the eyes of runners Sydney McLaughlin, Dalilah Muhammad, Gabby Thomas and Athing Mu.
There are several shots on The Weeknd’s Instagram that appear to be stills taken from the video. In one shot, he appears to be holding onto the waist of a woman wearing black leather and chains, while inhaling from an oxygen mask.
The singer recently toldGQ, “I am not dark. My art is dark, and I’ve gone through dark times. I’ve used those dark times as inspiration for my art. But I feel like because I’m not dark, I was able to channel it and put it into my music and into my art.”
As he considers reevaluating his Stadium Tour plans due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Garth Brooks is making one thing clear: He doesn’t want anybody to feel uncomfortable for wearing a mask to a show.
Ahead of his planned August 7 concert in Kansas City, Missouri, Garth spoke to fans via his Inside Studio G Facebook series.
“Follow all the rules. Make up your own rules, too,” the singer said. “You can’t be safe enough. You can’t be cautious enough. Keep your space. Keep your distance.”
He also encouraged concert-goers to mask up if doing so makes them more comfortable. “Please feel free to wear the masks at the concert. Nobody is going to look at you strange, I promise,” Garth stressed.
The Kansas City stadium show — which is expecting to host 70,000 Garth fans — will feature an on-site vaccination clinic. Per Rolling Stone, those who get vaccinated at the show will be eligible for a “ticket upgrade raffle.”
Earlier this week, Garth announced that he’s hitting pause on ticket sales for the Stadium Tour after next week’s sold-out Lincoln, Nebraska date. There will be a three-week window in which no shows will be scheduled, and ticket sales for his recently-announced Seattle date on September 4 will be halted.
A trailer for the upcoming Rick James doc, B*tchin’: The Sound and Fury of Rick James has been released.
Directed by Emmy-nominee and hip-hop journalist Sacha Jenkins, the new feature offers an in-depth look at one of the most controversial and confrontational figures in “punk-funk” music. Known for hits songs like “Super Freak” and “Give It to Me,” James, who passed away in 2004, was a formidable figure in music during the ’70s and ’80s as a songwriter, performer and producer. According to Showtime, the doc will “present a full picture of James’ dramatic rise and fall,” as well as feature rare footage of James’incredible live shows, never-before-seen home video and original interviews with legendary artists. B*tchin’: The Sound and Fury of Rick James will premiere on Friday, September 3, at 9 p.m. ET on Showtime.
In other news, Leslie Jones has been tapped as a recurring guest star on Taika Waititi and David Jenkins‘ HBO Max pirate comedy series Our Flag Means Death, Deadline has learned. She joins Nat Faxon, who was also announced. The series follows a pampered aristocrat who “abandoned his life of privilege to become a pirate.” Other stars include Kristian Nairn, Nathan Foad, Samson Kayo, Rory Kinnear, Con O’Neill, Vico Ortiz, among others.
Finally, Charmaine Bingwa, Gilbert Owuor, Mustafa Shakir and Ben Foster have joined the cast of the Antoine Fuqua-directed thriller Emancipation, Varietyreports. Inspired by the true story of “Whipped Peter,” the film follows an enslaved person who emancipates himself and later joins the Union Army. As previously reported, Will Smith will star as Peter, a runaway slave who flees a Louisiana plantation in hopes of traveling north to freedom. A release date for Emancipation has yet to be announced.
(LONDON) — The British government recorded a drop in COVID-19 cases for the fifth day in a row Tuesday. Daily deaths rose slightly to 138, but for almost a week had been under 100.
It’s a far cry from public warnings earlier in summer, when the country’s newly minted Health Secretary Sajid Javid warned the nation of the possibility of 100,000 daily cases.
Despite those warnings, the government lifted all remaining restrictions on social distancing and mandated mask-wearing in England on July 19. Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s “Freedom Day” was criticized as an irresponsible move in the midst of a third wave driven by the highly transmissible delta variant. “A murderous policy,” said Dr. Gabriel Scally, a leading public health expert at the University of Bristol. “Epidemiological stupidity,” a World Health Organization official said.
But then, cases dropped by around 40%, and deaths and hospitalizations have stayed low, despite the ending of all restrictions — and the world has been baffled as to why.
Many are pointing to the high vaccination rate in the U.K. More than 72% of all adults have received their full dose of vaccination, and the Office for National Statistics recently announced it estimated that 92% of the population in England has antibodies, either through vaccination or through previous infection of COVID-19.
Some experts, such as King’s College London professor of genetic epidemiology Tim Spector, have called foul on the data. Spector suggested in an interview with Sky News that the sudden drop in cases — “unheard of in pandemics” — was likely due to a lack of young people getting tested and asymptomatic cases not being counted in the official reported figures.
But that’s just not true, said John Edmunds, an epidemiologist and member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies committee that advises the British government on COVID-19 policy.
Edmunds told ABC News that several key circumstances appear to explain the sudden drop in cases.
End of Euro 2020 championships
A surge largely triggered by a return to normal, non-pandemic behavior during the Euro 2020 soccer championships has now mostly dissipated.
“The Euros was a glimpse of what would happen if we started to go back to much more normal behavior and went back to the pubs to watch football and so on,” Edmunds said. “Suddenly cases surge.”
But since the tournament is over, Brits aren’t going to the pubs and nightclubs as much, according to Edmunds’ behavioral surveys.
“People’s behavior at the moment is nowhere near normal behavior,” he said, even though there are no more restrictions in place.
The ‘pingdemic’
Shortly after the Euros, in mid-July, the British government’s contact tracing app also became embroiled in a situation that became known as the “pingdemic.”
Hundreds of thousands of people across the U.K. were suddenly ordered to self-isolate at home, after being notified by the app that they had come into contact with someone who had tested positive for the virus.
Businesses were faced with staffing shortages, and there were chaotic scenes at Heathrow Airport in London when suddenly hundreds of security staff were told to go home and isolate.
School vacations
Another key factor is the closure of schools during summer vacations. During the school year, schoolchildren and teachers are regularly tested, but they aren’t tested while on summer vacation. The break seems to account not just for a dip in daily tests but also in the virus spreading between children, parents and teachers, Edmunds said.
“School closure has been very important, and we’ve seen the effect of it throughout the pandemic, with schools opening and closing,” he said. “But it’s so important now because we’ve concentrated so much infection into the younger age groups because they are not vaccinated.”
The government has opened vaccination eligibility to young people within three months of turning 18. Health advisers say there is little benefit to vaccinating children because so few become seriously ill or die from the virus. There is currently no vaccine authorized for use in children younger than 12 years old, though some children deemed to be of particular risk to COVID-19 are allowed to be vaccinated under current rules.
It is the return of schools and businesses that worries Edmunds.
“My fear has always been September when schools open again, and I think at that point, businesses, companies, organizations will start to assess employees to come back in to the office,” he said. “I hope they don’t, but if they do I think we will see another surge in cases in the autumn.”
