The Storyteller faced some stiff competition, having been released the same day as former Donald Trump White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham‘s tell-all book, I’ll Take Your Questions Now, as well as actor Stanley Tucci‘s Taste memoir. Still, Grohl’s collection of rock n’ roll tales, which range from his childhood to joining Nirvana and jamming with everyone from Paul McCartney to Iggy Pop, grabbed the top spot.
In a tweet reacting to the news, Grohl writes that he’s “honored” by the book’s success.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine that I would someday be a number-one bestselling author,” Grohl says. “But it’s those same wildest dreams that I’ve followed since the day I picked up a guitar.”
Grohl recently wrapped a tour in support of The Storyteller, which featured him playing drums alongside the recording of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”
Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine that I would someday be a number one bestselling author, but it’s those same wildest dreams that I’ve followed since the day I picked up a guitar. Honored. pic.twitter.com/LpZx93C2jn
The Television Academy Foundation, the charitable arm of the Television Academy, has announced the establishment of the Alex Trebek Legacy Fellowship Fund, in honor of the beloved Jeopardy! host who died of pancreatic cancer in 2020.
The foundation, launched with a gift of $50,000 from Jeopardy! Executive Producer Harry Friedman and his Harry & Judy Friedman Family Foundation, the fund will provide “a select number of need-based fellowships” to college and university educators.
The Alex Trebek Legacy Fellowships will fund these educators’ participation in the Television Academy Foundation’s annual Faculty Conference. The event, which “connects college classrooms with the television industry by providing media professors with curriculum-enhancing seminars on the latest in the art, science and business of television,” will be held virtually from November 15-17. Other funds from the charity will support the conference itself.
When the conference returns to an in-person format, the fellowships will fund educators’ travel and lodging to the event. Fittingly, one of this year’s conference panels is called, “The Art of the Game: Careers in Quiz and Game Shows,” in which 19-time Emmy winner Friedman will participate.
Initially, 25 college and/or university educators from across the country will be granted the fellowships; those who wish to apply can find out more information at TelevisionAcademy.com/faculty-seminar.
In a statement, Friedman said the fellowships “will serve as a lasting tribute to our dear friend’s life and work.”
Trebek began hosting Jeopardy! when it launched on syndication in 1984, and continued until shortly before his death at age 80.
Ray J has been released from a Miami hospital and is back home after suffering from pneumonia.
TMZ reports that he was released over the weekend. The Love & Hip Hop Hollywood star is no longer using an inhaler and needing oxygen.
As previously reported, last week the singer/actor was feeling positive about his recovery. “I appreciate all the love and support from everybody,” Ray J said in a message that his manager, David Weintraub, shared with People. “Thank you for keeping me in your prayers, and I will be back up and running soon.”
Weintraub added that the illness was “not the contagious kind,” and that Ray does not have COVID-19, despite initially being placed in the hospital’s COVID unit. “They gave him multiple COVID tests, and he tested negative for all of them,” said Weintraub.
The manager added the illness is a result of the 40-year-old entertainer being a workaholic — shooting Love & Hip Hop, developing and promoting products through his Raycon brand, and producing new music.
Shortly after announcing that he was taken to the hospital, Ray J filed to divorce his wife of five years, Princess Love. The “Wait a Minute” singer cited irreconcilable differences as cause for their separation. Ray J is seeking joint custody of his and Love’s two children — Melody, 3, and Epik, 1.
Cracks in their relationship started to show last November, when the model accused her husband of leaving her “stranded” in Las Vegas and threatened to divorce him.
This latest filing marks the third time that the pair have tried to separate. Their first separation was in May 2020, but the couple patched things up that July and Love asked the court to dismiss her request. Four months later, Ray J was the one to file for divorce.
(NEW YORK) — The United States has been facing a COVID-19 surge as the more contagious delta variant continues to spread.
More than 719,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 while over 4.8 million people have died from the disease worldwide, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.
Just 66.2% of Americans ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the CDC.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Oct 14, 11:54 am
FDA’s independent committee hours away from vote on Moderna booster
The FDA’s independent committee is meeting on Thursday and will vote in hours on whether to greenlight the Moderna booster for: people 65 and older; people 18 and older who are at high risk of severe illness because of an underlying health condition; and people 18 and older whose job may put them at greater risk for exposure to the virus.
In introductory remarks Thursday, the FDA’s Peter Marks urged the independent panel to “harmonize” its decision with what has already been decided for Pfizer in order to avoid unnecessary confusion for the public.
Pfizer boosters have been authorized for people over 65, all adults with underlying medical conditions and adults whose job puts them at high risk.
The vote is scheduled for about 4:45 p.m.
Oct 13, 6:49 pm
Pending vaccine distribution for kids will be based on population: CDC
Initial distribution of the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 5 to 11 years old will be based on a state’s population of eligible children, according to a new planning document distributed to state immunization managers by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The document, obtained by ABC News, was sent to state officials in advance of the vaccine being authorized by federal regulators. The authorization could happen as soon as early November.
The pediatric vaccine will be shipped in 100-dose packs, each with 10 vials, the document said.
A person familiar with the planned rollout told ABC News that while the government purchased 65 million doses total, the initial shipment may be closer to the 10 million to 20 million range.
After an initial distribution, a “weekly supply will be made available to help sustain the network,” according to the document.
Oct 13, 2:00 pm
COVID No. 1 cause of death for 35- to 54-year-olds in September
COVID-19 was the leading of death among people ages 35 to 54 — and the second-leading cause overall — in September, according to an analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Peterson Center on Healthcare.
The research also estimates that since June more than 90,000 U.S. deaths from COVID-19 could have been prevented with vaccines, and more than half of those occurred last month.
In January, COVID-19 was the nation’s No. 1 cause of death, the analysis found. In July, before the delta surge, COVID-19 briefly dropped to eighth.
Stars of all backgrounds and descriptions collided at the 2021 CMT Artists of the Year ceremony, which aired live from Nashville on CMT Wednesday night.
A handful of the genre’s biggest and most influential artists were the night’s honorees, while other stars from a diverse background of genres and musical styles were on hand to help celebrate them.
Alongside rising pop-soul act Yola, Breakout Artist of the Year honoree Mickey Guyton gave the world premiere performance of her song, “Remember Her Name.” Christian star Michael W. Smith celebrated honoree Gabby Barrett’s faith-filled roots before her performance, and Kane Brown was paid tribute by rapper Nelly, his musical pal and recent collaborator.
Another honoree, Luke Combs, was introduced by his country-rock hero, Eric Church, before performing recent hit “Forever After All.” Meanwhile, Chris Stapleton got a special tribute performance, with R&B greats Boyz II Men teaming with Pentatonix’s Kevin Olusola to highlight the soulful side of Chris’ song, “Cold.”
Kelsea Ballerini delivered a performance live from her tour with pop act the Jonas Brothers, treating the audience to their version of “With a Little Help from My Friends,” recorded in Franklin, Tennessee.
Of course, traditional country played a big role in Wednesday night’s ceremony, too. Garth Brooks celebrated his fellow traditionalist Randy Travis, who was honored with the Artist of a Lifetime award. Kane also took the stage in honor of Randy, delivering a version of the legendary artist’s “Three Wooden Crosses.”
The Power star recently took aim at the Queen Bee, posting a side-by-side of her next to a Leprechaun meme and writing, “I’m sorry i know it’s early but i don’t know why s[tuff] like this is funny to me. LOL,” according to a screenshot obtained by The Shade Room.
While it was funny for 50, Lil’ Kim thought he could have done better. Commenting on the post, she replied, “ur so Obsessed wit [sic] me this is getting creepy.”
Adding the yawning emoji, she continued, “This one ain’t it bro not funny at all I was hoping to laugh wit [sic] u but cornyyyyyyy… U fallin [sic] off Im too bad and too fly in this video u reaching now but we all kno whyyyyyyyy.”
The “Lady Marmalade” rapper then went on to slam 50, calling him lame and claiming that the real reason he dissed her was because he was “crushin hard.”
Lil Kim’ ended her rebuttal with a plug for her upcoming book. “DONT FORGET TO PREORDER MY BOOK YALL MEMOIRS OF ” LIL KIM THE QUEENBEE” PEROOD,” she concluded.
This isn’t the first time the “In da Club” artist dissed Lil’ Kim. Back in July, 50 compared her to an owl because of her outfit during a performance at the BET Awards.
After catching wind of the diss, Kim admitted that it was “accurate” and “hilarious” but didn’t bother her “one bit.” That didn’t stop her from throwing a little shade herself, though.
“50 Cent, I see u still in ur feels about that dinner date u asked me on that I had to turn down,” she fired back. “Let it go, u have a beautiful girlfriend, I have a loving husband. Let it go.”
Demi Lovato made headlines recently by saying we shouldn’t call beings from outer space “aliens” because it’s “a derogatory term for anything, even extraterrestrials, ” saying they prefer the term “ETs.” But now a true expert on space is calling Demi out for that claim.
In an interview with TMZ, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson jokes, “All the aliens that I’ve ever met, they have no feelings,” and states that it seems silly to be “worried about offending them by calling them an alien.”
But then, more seriously, he says, “What is [Demi] thinking is going on in the head of species of life from another planet? I know it’s very considerate of [them], but really?”
deGrasse Tyson goes on to explain that when he talks about aliens, he uses the phrase “space aliens,” and points out nobody really calls people “aliens” — as in the term “illegal alien” — anymore, anyway.
“What we used to call ‘aliens’ — undocumented immigrants, that’s what the new term is for them,” he says. “So what that means is…the only invocation of the word ‘alien’ is for creatures from outer space that want to kill us all.”
He laughs, “I don’t care what they feel. Plus, why should I even believe they know English?”
Cyndi Lauper‘s album True Colors — featuring the hit title track, plus “Change of Heart” and more — came out 35 years ago today, on October 14, 1986. To celebrate, she’s releasing an expanded digital edition of the album tonight at midnight, Rolling Stone reports.
The expanded edition features two bonus songs: a remix of the number-one title track, and its B-side, “Heading for the Moon,” which has never been available on streaming services until now. There’s also a “True Colors” Instagram filter.
In her Rolling Stone interview, Cyndi reveals that the song “True Colors” was written for Canadian country-pop singer Anne Murray, who turned it down. Initially, Cyndi wasn’t sure it was right for her, but tells Rolling Stone, “When I heard our demo, I realized it had intimacy, and intimacy was the the most important thing.”
Explaining that she recorded it after a friend died of AIDS, Cyndi notes that “True Colors” was “for me, and his partner who was left behind, and his friends who loved him, to comfort us.” Now, of course, it’s become an LGBTQ anthem.
Cyndi also reveals that some of her favorite contemporary artists are Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift. “She’s always been a wonderful writer, but [that last COVID record] was poetry,” Cyndi says of Taylor.
“The only thing I don’t like about new music — when I listen to what the top new music is, there’s a lot of men, not a lot of women,” Cyndi points out. “But [there are] so many great musicians out there now. It’s a good time to be listening. I’m always listening, always learning.”
A Robin Williams biopic hasn’t been announced, but if there were one, fans are rooting for actor Jamie Costa to get the starring role.
On Monday, Costa shared a five-minute-long video to YouTube, titled “ROBIN Test Footage Scene,” featuring his impersonation of a young Williams on the set of Mork & Mindy in 1982. Everything from Costa’s appearance to his mannerisms could leave even the biggest fan wondering who they were really watching. So, it’s no wonder viewers raved over his performance and are advocating for Costa to play Williams in a movie about the late actor’s life.
One user commented, “This is a FANTASTIC impression of Robin Williams. If there is ever a biopic, they better cast you.”
Another echoed the same sentiment, writing, “This isn’t a mere impression; this is one of the highest caliber, basically an embodiment of Robin himself.”
While many praised Costa’s acting, the moment was bittersweet for Williams daughter, Zelda, who took to Twitter to share her thoughts on the clip, which imagines Williams’ reaction to learning the news that his friend John Belushi had died.
“Guys, I’m only saying this because I don’t think it’ll stop until I acknowledge it… please, stop sending me the ‘test footage’. I’ve seen it,” she wrote, adding, “Jamie is SUPER talented, this isn’t against him, but y’all spamming me an impression of my late Dad on one of his saddest days is weird.”
Robin Williams was 63 years old when he died by suicide in 2014.
If you are in crisis or know someone in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741. You can reach Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860 (U.S.) or 877-330-6366 (Canada) and The Trevor Project at 866-488-7386.
(NEW YORK) — Former President Donald Trump must sit for a videotaped deposition next week as part of a lawsuit involving his anti-immigrant rhetoric, a judge in the Bronx ordered.
A group of Mexican protesters said they were assaulted during a rally outside Trump Tower in September 2015 over the then-candidate’s comments that Mexican immigrants were criminals and rapists.
The lawsuit named Trump, his campaign, his former head of security Keith Schiller, and others.
“Donald J. Trump shall appear for a deposition October 18, 2021 at 10 a.m. … or, in the event of illness or emergency, on another mutually agreed to date on or before October 31, 2021,” Judge Doris Gonzalez’s order said.
Trump faces the prospect of another deposition by the end of the year as part of a defamation lawsuit filed by former “Apprentice” contestant Summer Zervos, who alleges that Trump sexually assaulted her at the Beverly Hills Hotel in 2007, which Trump denies. Zervos claims that Trump defamed her during his campaign when he said she lied about the alleged assault.
Trump has also denied the allegations by former Elle columnist E. Jean Carroll, who is suing him for defamation after he accused her of lying about an alleged 1990s rape in a dressing room at Bergdorf Goodman.
Trump’s tax filings and business practices are also under criminal investigation by the district attorneys in Manhattan and New York State.
