While other awards shows have been tanking in the ratings of late, it seems people were ready to see their first Zoom-free Emmys in a year.
Sunday night’s awards show managed to snag a viewership of 7.4 million, but when streaming viewership is tallied, Variety reports that number could rise to 7.9 million. The broadcast also dominated social media, though some of that was with the trending topic #EmmysSoWhite, reflecting outrage about the lack of Black and non-white winners.
Last year’s 72nd Annual Emmy Awards was the worst-performing in the telecast’s history, with around 6.36 million viewers; The 2019 host-free ceremony managed to do better than that on Fox, but barely. 2018’s ceremony on NBC remains the highwater mark in recent history, with a viewership of around 10.8 million.
Dustin Lynch, Lainey Wilson and Michael Ray are all giving back to a Nashville homeless shelter.
The three stars are set to perform 16th Annual Mission: Possible Turkey Fry and Benefit Concert, hosted yearly by Tracy Lawrence in support of Nashville Rescue Mission, which provides programs and services to people experiencing homelessness.
The event will take place November 23 in the parking lot of Nashville Rescue Mission, beginning with the signature turkey fry, followed by the benefit concert at SkyDeck at Assembly Hall in downtown Nashville. Additional artists will be announced.
Tickets go on sale September 24, with all of the proceeds benefiting Nashville Rescue Mission.
The late Biz Markie is being honored with a street in his hometown near New York City.
“In honor of the contributions Biz has achieved as an actor, beatboxer, DJ and philanthropist, his hometown of Patchogue, Long Island will honor him with the renaming of South Street to Biz Markie Way!” his widow, Tara Davis, announced on Instagram.
The ceremony will take on Saturday, September 25 at 2 p.m. behind the 6th District Court. 150 West Main Street, Patchogue, NY. The public is invited.
Sunday night, Emmys host Cedric the Entertainer opened the show with a tribute to Markie by performing his classic, “Just a Friend,” with LL Cool J and dozens of members of the audience, including Tracee Ellis Ross, Anthony Anderson, Billy Porter, and Tom Hanks‘ wife, actress Rita Wilson.
“R.I.P. to the one and only Biz Markie,” Cedric said as he concluded the rousing performance, which brought the entire crowd to its feet.
“Thank You to @cedtheentertainer @llcoolj @cbstv and the @televisionacad for the Beautiful Tribute to TV and my husband Biz Markie and keeping his memory alive. The family loved it,” Davis commented.
Biz Markie passed away on July 16 of complications from Type Two diabetes. He was 57 years old.
LL, Busta Rhymes, Fat Joe, Ice T, Montell Jordan, Reverend Al Sharpton and many others attended Biz’s funeral on August 2.
The “Bang!” outfit has added eight dates to run’s 2022 U.S. leg, set to kick off in April. New stops include Atlanta, Cleveland, San Diego, Las Vegas and even Honolulu.
Tickets go on sale this Friday, September 24, at 10 a.m. local time. For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit AJRBrothers.com.
Meanwhile, AJR’s current 2021 tour continues Thursday in Albany, New York. It’ll run through an October 1 date in Jacksonville, Florida.
AJR released OK ORCHESTRA, their fourth studio album, in March. They just premiered a new single called “Record Player” with indie pop group Daisy the Great in August.
You’ll have to wait a few extra weeks to hear Bullet for My Valentine‘s next album.
The self-titled effort was originally supposed to drop October 22, but has now been delayed to November 5 due to “COVID-related manufacturing delays.”
“It’s important for us that you all be given the opportunity to experience this album at the same time,” Bullet says. “So as disappointing as it is to have to wait a little longer, we promise you it will be worth it.”
In the meantime, the Welsh metallers promise that they’ll be unveiling “exciting news” later this week.
Bullet for My Valentine, the follow-up to 2018’s Gravity, is the group’s seventh studio album. It includes the previously released songs “Knives,” “Shatter” and “Parasite.”
(HAWAII) — It’s been more than a week since the disappearance of 6-year-old Isabella Kalua in Waimanalo, Hawaii. The search for Isabella continues, as Honolulu police and volunteers spread across the city to find the missing child.
Isabella was last seen asleep in her room at her Puha Street address on Sunday, Sept. 12 around 9 p.m., local time, according to the Honolulu Police Department.
Her adoptive family has not participated in search crews, but their attorney told KITV that they have spoken and are cooperating with police. Since they have received death threats regarding the child’s disappearance they have not gone out to search, the attorney said.
KITV reports that HPD has acquired several items that may be linked to Isabella, including a photo album and toys found in a garbage bag, but they have yet to confirm its connection to the case.
Police are also working with the FBI to investigate her disappearance.
“We have conducted numerous interviews; however, there are still individuals, to include acquaintances and family members, who have yet to come forward to be interviewed,” HPD said in a statement to KITV.
Honolulu Police say it won’t rule out foul play.
“I don’t want to think the worst-case scenario,” Alena Kaeo, Kalua’s biological aunt told ABC-affiliate KITV. “But it is always is a possibility. Again, I’m trying to keep my faith as strong as possible and I pray — I pray hard that she is safe. I don’t want to think the worst but it is a possibility.”
Isabella is described by authorities as being a brown-eyed, brown-haired, white, and mixed-race girl. Police said Isabella was likely wearing a black hoodie, black leggings, colorful socks, and Nike slides when she went missing.
Ready to feel old? It’s been 10 years since Carly Rae Jepsen released her now iconic pop hit, “Call Me Maybe.”
Don’t worry, she feels old too. In an Twitter post Monday, the singer shared three different versions of the single’s cover — the original, a recreation featuring a picture of her now, and a version where she’s sporting a grey old lady wig and is knitting.
“It’s been 10 years since ‘Call Me Maybe’ and this is how that makes me feel,” she joked. “Shout out to OG photographer @VanessaHeins for shooting all three covers. Future, present and past!”
In celebration of the anniversary, Carly will do a special Q&A tonight at 6 p.m. ET. You can submit your questions using the hashtag #CMM10.
(NEW YORK) — Two people are being treated for gunshot wounds following a shooting at Heritage High School in Newport News, Virginia, according to police. Their injuries are not considered life-threatening.
Students at the high school were evacuated and sent to the tennis courts, according to the Newport News Police Department.
Police said at 11:30 a.m., they responded to a shooting call at the school. “Four, maybe five” students were sent to area hospitals. Of those, two were being treated for gunshot wounds.
The two gunshot victims are 17 years old. One male was shot in the face and a female was shot in the lower leg, police said at a press conference Monday afternoon.
Another student is being treated after falling during the chaotic scene, while another was transported for breathing issues related to asthma, police said.
No suspect is in custody, police said.
Police said they are going through footage and evidence recovered from the scene as they hunt for the suspect. Police officers said they don’t believe the suspect is a threat to other members of the community and it seems there was some type of altercation that led to the shooting, but they’re still investigating.
An official with the FBI Field Office in Norfolk, Virginia, tells ABC News they are aware and providing assistance to local authorities. The ATF said it is also assisting.
Police have not publicly released the name of the suspect or victims.
Drake is once again winning his battle against Kanye West, as Certified Lover Boy remains number one on the Billboard 200 for the second straight week.
CLB earned 246,000 units after opening week sales of 613,000 units, the most of any album this year. Kanye’s Donda album stays at number two, earning 79,000 units.
Drizzy is also dominating the Hot 100 again with nine of the top ten songs this week. “Way 2 Sexy,” featuring Future and Young Thug, is at the top of the list, followed by “Girls Wants Girls” at number two, “Fair Trade” at number three, “Champagne Poetry” at number four, and “Knife Talk” at number five.
Drake’s possible clean sweep of the top ten was interrupted by The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber, who have the number six single, “Stay.”
Songs from Certified Lover Boy round out the top ten: “In the Bible,” “Papi’s Home,” “TSU” and “Love All.”
As Drake reigns on the charts, he’s expanding his brand into a new sport. As the official ambassador of the NBA’s Toronto Raptors, his love of basketball is well known, but now he’s partnered with Nike for a golf fashion collection.
The NOCTA golf fashion line is described as a “a testament to Drake’s admiration for the game,” and goes on sale September 23.
Maybe we should have seen it coming: On “In the Bible,” the four-time Grammy winner raps, “Think I’m Tiger Woods.”
ABBA fans worldwide are thrilled that the Swedish superstars have reunited for their first new album in 40 years, and for an upcoming digital concert experience. But sadly, it appears that these activities mark the beginning of the end for the group, rather than a new chapter.
Speaking to Radio Sweden, ABBA’s Agnetha Fältskog said that when the group was preparing for their virtual concert experience — which will see digital avatars of each band member singing their hits — they felt “there was a vibe…’maybe it’s the last thing we do,'” and, she adds, “Same thing with this album.”
When asked if there will be more reunion activities, Agnetha replied, “I don’t really dare to say. We’re a bit older now, and have our minor ailments, ha ha. But we struggle on. But I don’t dare to say, because it’s a bit uncertain. At the moment we feel happy that we got this together, and let’s hope everything goes well in London, at the premiere [of the concert experience] over there.”
That being said, Agnetha said the group is thrilled that their new songs “Don’t Shut Me Down” and “I Still Have Faith In You” have been so well-received, adding that their fans’ emotional reactions to their new music have been “almost hard to take in, actually.”
“I can tell you this much: if you like these two songs, you will probably like the entire album,” Agnetha added. “It’s very much the ABBA sound. We’re not trying to sound different or letting ourselves be affected by other, current things, so to speak.”
