Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber may have composed the CATS Broadway musical, but that doesn’t mean he enjoyed the movie version of it. There is one thing, however, that he does like about it — and it has everything to do with cat lover Taylor Swift.
Speaking with Variety, the 73-year-old British composer said being able to write the song “Beautiful Ghosts” with Taylor was the one good thing to come from the critically panned movie.
“It was one of the few enjoyable experiences [on the film],” Lloyd Webber admitted. “It was probably the enjoyable experience.”
The composer recalled what it was like to create the Golden Globe and Grammy-nominated song, revealing, “We sat around the piano, I played her a melody… It was a joy. She’s a real pro. Talk about being a pro.”
He also said Taylor was familiar with the source material, the T.S. Eliot poetry collection Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. That led to the two exchanging a few inside jokes and bonding over their mutual appreciation of the British poet.
“One of the things I was quite intrigued by, she got to the essence of what T.S. Eliot was about,” Lloyd Webber continued. “It wasn’t just a lyric thrown together at all. I did enjoy working with her very, very, very much.”
Lloyd Webber has been vocal about his dislike of the CATS movie and criticized the film when speaking previously to The Sunday Times of London. “The problem with the film was that [director] Tom Hooper decided that he didn’t want anybody involved in it who was involved in the original show,” he bemoaned. “The whole thing was ridiculous.”
CATSsdebuted to negative reviews in December 2019. The movie currently has a 20 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
(WASHINGTON) — With global supply chain bottlenecks threatening the Christmas shopping season, President Joe Biden will highlight his administration’s work with ports on Wednesday and try to stave off the potentially politically explosive headaches Americans may face as delays threaten holiday gift-giving.
The president plans to meet with the leaders of the two busiest ports in the United States — Los Angeles and Long Beach, both in California — and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, “to discuss the challenges that ports across the country and actions each partner can take to address these delays,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Tuesday.
The port of Los Angeles, a senior Biden administration official said, will announce on Wednesday that it will move to 24/7 operations in order to help alleviate bottlenecks.
Several shippers and retailers will announce that they are taking steps to move toward 24/7 operations, too, according to senior administration officials.
According to the White House, Walmart will increase its use of nighttime hours; UPS will increasingly use 24/7 operations and enhance data sharing with ports; FedEx will increase its nighttime hours and make changes to trucking and rail use; Samsung will operate 24/7 over the next 90 days to move almost 60% more containers out of the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports; The Home Depot will move up to 10% more containers out of these ports in their off-hours each week; and Target will move 10% more containers during these off-peak hours.
Several of these companies and other stakeholders will participate in a virtual roundtable hosted by the White House Wednesday, according to the White House.
That dynamic carries great political risk for Biden, who has pegged his presidency to both pulling the country out of the coronavirus pandemic — the onset of which precipitated this supply crunch — and rebuilding the U.S. economy.
But Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen tried to temper fears Tuesday during an interview with CBS News.
“There may be isolated shortages of goods and services in the coming months,” Yellen said. “But there is an ample supply of goods. I think there’s no reason for consumers to panic about the absence of goods that they’re going to want to acquire at Christmas.”
The White House launched a task force in June to address disruptions to supply chains and in August added a port envoy to that group.
“We certainly know addressing those bottlenecks at ports could help address what we see in many industries across the country, and frankly are leading people who are preparing for holidays, for Christmas, whatever they may celebrate, birthdays, to order goods and get them to people’s homes,” Psaki said Tuesday.
Fans believe Britney Spears has weighed in on sister Jamie Lynn Spears‘ upcoming memoir, Things I Should Have Said, which was announced Monday.
Jamie Lynn, 30, said she was inspired to “share my truth” after her daughter Maddie was involved in a near-fatal ATV incident in 2017. While the Zoey 101 star said the book was a way for her to open up about “my own mental health,” her publisher, Worthy Publishing, added she will also explore her “role as Britney’s kid sister.”
Now it appears big sister Britney has reacted to the announcement in a new Instagram post. The singer shared on Tuesday that she is “thinking of releasing a book next year” and turned to her fans for ideas because “I’m having issues coming up with a title.”
Britney, 39, presented two potential book titles that had fans buzzing because they seemed oddly specific.
The singer said she is mulling between the titles “‘S***, I really don’t know” and “I really care what people think,” which some fans felt are referencing Jamie Lynn.
That led to numerous fans suggesting a third potential title: “Things my sister shouldn’t have said.”
While Britney hasn’t referenced her little sister directly, her followers believe the timing and language of the pop star’s latest post is not a coincidence.
True or not, it’s not the first time Britney’s called out her baby sister. In July, she put her whole family on blast in two separate posts. In one post, since deleted, she called out those who didn’t help her privately but are supporting her publicly to “save face.” In the second, Britney referenced Jamie Lynn directly, writing, “I don’t like that my sister showed up at an awards show and performed MY SONGS to remixes !!!!!”
(NOTE LANGUAGE) It’s been five years since Dwayne Johnson sparked reports of a feud with Vin Diesel and, in a new interview, Johnson reflects on his now-infamous remarks.
While filming The Fate of the Furious in 2016, the actor took to Instagram and slammed his male co-stars who fail to “conduct themselves as stand-up men and true professionals” and dubbed them “candya****.”
Though he deleted the post, the Jungle Cruise star told Variety he doesn’t regret expressing himself.
“I meant what I said,” he shared. “I mean what I say when I say it. But to express it publicly was not the right thing to do.”
“It wasn’t my best day… I shouldn’t have shared that,” Johnson continued. “Because at the end of the day, that goes against my DNA. I don’t share things like that. And I take care of that kind of bulls*** away from the public. They don’t need to know that. That’s why I say it wasn’t my best day.”
Johnson said there was a silver lining from the whole debacle and revealed that, while “it caused a firestorm,” it sparked a conversation on set because “every single crew member found their way to me and either quietly thanked me or sent me a note.”
It also resulted in a much-needed meeting with Diesel. “I wouldn’t call it a peaceful meeting,” Johnson admitted. “I would call it a meeting of clarity. He and I had a good chat in my trailer, and it was out of that chat that it really became just crystal clear that we are two separate ends of the spectrum. And agreed to leave it there.”
He also defined what a candya** is: A person who makes life harder for others because they are “completely full of s***.”
This morning, William Shatner blasts off with three others on board Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket, bound for space.
The moment is being eagerly anticipated by Trekkies the world over, including Brian Volk-Weiss, the producer of Netflix’s popular Movies That Made Us series. But Volk-Weiss explains the significance of the event isn’t lost on those who couldn’t tell a Klingon from a Vulcan.
“My wife is not a Trekkie at all. Maybe she’s even an anti-Trekkie. She gets it. The symbolism that up until this year, nobody ever thought Captain Kirk would actually go to where Captain Kirk worked. Like she got it.”
Volk-Weiss continued, “I thought my Star Trek bias and my history bias … like, I wasn’t sure if I could be a fair judge. But I mean, it’s nothing short of amazing. Yes, he’s lived a long time, but the fact that within his own lifetime, what literally would have been thought impossible — I think even in January — is happening.”
Shatner, who turned 90 in March, will be the oldest person to reach space, surpassing a record set by 82-year-old astronaut Wally Funk, who blasted off on the New Shepard in July.
Shatner will join microbiologist Glen de Vries, Planet Labs founder Chris Boshuizen, and Blue Origin’s Audrey Powers when New Shepard‘s 18th mission, NS-18, blasts off Wednesday morning.
The event is now scheduled for 10 a.m. Eastern, depending on weather and other conditions at Blue Origin’s launch site in Texas.
(NEW YORK) — As her belly curves in a small circle overlapping the top button of her jeans, Elisha White, 26, anticipates the birth of her fifth child.
White is currently unemployed and without a car, and though her family is pitching in and assisting her, she said her local diaper bank has been a saving grace now and since the beginning of her journey into motherhood.
“Ever since high school, they have always been there for me and been someone I can go and talk to,” said White. “They are really important to families that need [diapers] and that can’t afford them.”
White’s local diaper bank, The Diaper Bank of the Delta, which is located in Clarksdale, Mississippi, is the only organization in the state that is a part of the National Diaper Bank Network, which includes more than 200 independent diaper banks and pantries.
According to data from the organization, disposable diapers can cost up to $80 a month per child, with the average child needing up to 12 diapers daily. The federal government assistance programs such as Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) do not allow funding for diapers to be expensed through them.
“Before the pandemic, [there] was already a need in our community, especially in our service. I am located in the Mississippi Delta, where most of our population is African American, and they were already struggling to afford diapers to properly diaper their children,” said Chelesa Presley, executive director of the Diaper Bank of the Delta and member of Black Diaper Bank Leaders Group. “And then when the pandemic happened, oh my goodness.”
In 2020, the National Diaper Bank Network distributed more than 100 million diapers to 220 diaper banks across the country — a 67% spike from 2019. In addition, most child care facilities require parents to provide diapers for their child. Nationally, 57% of parents experiencing diaper needs who rely on child care said they missed an average of four days of school or work in the past month because they didn’t have diapers to send with their children.
Presley said many low-income families and families of color spend twice as much on diapers for their children compared to families who have the means to buy diapers in bulk at a lower price.
“They’re leaving the diapers on the babies longer,” said Presley. “I can tell you more and more families are coming to us, and we’ve increased the number that we give out because they’re saying, ‘We’re still not having enough to meet our needs.'”
“We were giving out 30 diapers. We’ve increased it up to 50, and some still need diapers to just completely diaper their babies because they just can’t afford it,” said Presley.
But Joanne Samuel Goldblum, the CEO and founder of the National Diaper Bank Network, said there is a greater need for diapers due to the COVID-19 pandemic, because many families lost their jobs and cannot afford diapers due to their price increase. As if that wasn’t enough, the consumer price index — the Labor Department’s measure of what consumers pay for everyday goods and services — spiked 5.4% over the last 12 months. In June alone, it jumped 0.9%
“The price of all commodities is rising,” said Goldbulm. “So people have sort of latched on to this conversation about the diaper-pricing increase — and it has, but so has almost every other commodity that we buy.”
One in three American families are experiencing a diaper shortage, according to a 2020 report from the National Diaper Bank Network. Goldblum says internal research in 2020 found that National Diaper Bank Network members distributed on average 86% more diapers in 2020 versus 2019.
“Everybody knows that when a baby’s crying, no matter who’s around, somebody is going to say, ‘Did you check their diaper?'” said Goldblum. “What does it mean, as a parent — especially a new parent, you know, if it’s a little baby — not being able to meet that child’s needs?”
Goldblum said that although the research for 2021 has not been released yet, diaper banks across the country are continuing to see the increased need for diapers and trying to continue to expand their capacity.
This is a problem that goes beyond diaper hygiene. Goldblum pointed to a 2013 study published in Pediatrics found that diaper need is more highly correlated with maternal stress and depression than any other material deprivation.
“Diaper needs impact children and it impacts caregivers,” Goldblum said.
“It is a crisis and is a real problem for families who are struggling, and this is affecting our future,” Presley said. “Our future children, it is affecting their health, it is affecting their mental health, and eventually in about 10 to 20 years, we’re going to see the effect this pandemic has had because of diaper needs and mental health issues.”
White said her local diaper bank will continue to help her and other mothers in need.
“It is so helpful for people who can’t afford [diapers] right now during the pandemic,” she said. “They are really helpful to me because I be about to lose my mind without them.”
(NEW YORK) — People with diabetes rely on blood glucose devices to monitor their blood sugar levels, but now people who do not have diabetes are tapping into the technology.
People without diabetes are using the devices, via apps, to learn more about how their lifestyle habits, like diet and exercise, may be affecting their blood sugar levels too.
One product designed for people without diabetes, Levels, features two sensors worn on the skin for 14 days each.
The product, currently in beta testing, links to an app that displays the user’s blood sugar level at all times so they can see how their body reacts to eating a bagel, for example, a food high in carbohydrates, versus a high-protein food like chicken.
ABC News’ Becky Worley, who did a complimentary tryout of the Levels app, found that while tracking her meals with the app, proteins like chicken and boiled eggs kept her blood sugar level, while a salad dressing loaded with sugar did not.
“What makes [continuous glucose monitors] so effective is that they empower people to learn about their health in a way that wasn’t possible before by seeing the impacts right away,” said Dr. Aaron Neinstein, a California-based endocrinologist who is not associated with Levels and prescribes continuous glucose monitors to his patients with diabetes. “I think what a lot of people learn when they use continuous glucose monitoring is just how much unhealthy ingredients are hidden in foods that we don’t know about.”
Medical experts say steady blood sugar levels generally keep the body in a state of using food as fuel, but big spikes in blood sugar can stimulate the body to store fat, increase your risk of heart disease and spur chronic inflammation.
Keeping blood sugar levels in range as much as possible can help delay or prevent health problems like heart disease, vision loss and kidney disease, and can help boost energy and mood, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Some of the keys to balancing blood sugar levels include avoiding processed foods, eating more protein, adding healthy fats like avocado, olive oil and nuts and even walking after big meals.
“When you’re exercising, your body is able to bring glucose or sugar into the cells without insulin,” Neinstein, also an associate professor in the University of California San Francisco division of endocrinology, told GMA. “So it is a very effective tool.”
While several continuous glucose monitors are approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use by people with diabetes, the Levels app is currently not FDA-regulated.
The company told ABC News that doctors routinely prescribe drugs and devices intended for other uses they think can help patients, but state in their terms of service, “We do not warrant that the results that may be obtained from the use of the service will be accurate or reliable.”
Neinstein said there is more data needed, stating, “Mu” h more research is needed to help us understand what the risks and benefits might be for people who don’t have diabetes.”
Cardi B celebrated her 29th birthday in style on Monday, but it was her presents that stole the show.
The “WAP” rapper was positively spoiled by husband Offset, who lavished her with diamonds and furs — according to Instagram story snaps from Entertainment Tonight — as well as a luxury home in the Dominican Republic.
Cardi gushed over her gift in an emotional Instagram post on Tuesday and shared a video tour of her brand-new crib, which boasts six bedrooms, a separate studio, seven full baths, one half bath, a rooftop infinity pool, a separate pool on the patio, and a breathtaking view of the ocean and surrounding greenery.
“I just can’t believe this! This was sooo amazing to me,” Cardi raved in the caption. “I [heart] you so much and I can’t wait for this hangover to go away so I can show you my full appreciation.”
The Grammy winner certainly turned it up at her dancehall dress code party and admitted she partied a little too hard. In a hilarious Twitter post on Tuesday, Cardi — who recently welcomed her second child — admitted that she does not have the same alcohol tolerance as before and struggled after taking just three shots of tequila on an empty stomach.
“Last night I was a bit disappointed in myself,” she remarked. “Thank god my girls held me down!… Baby I couldn’t hang.”
Cardi’s party was attended by A-listers such as Megan Thee Stallion, Normani, Shenseea, Lizzo and many others.
(NEW YORK) — Each year, we spend time sweating over getting holiday gifts out in time and worrying about shipping delays.
This year, experts are warning of possible shortages and delays on getting everything from toys to artificial Christmas trees due to COVID-related supply chain issues, as well as reports of slower shipping service.
With that in mind, shipping services have released their recommended ship-by dates in order for packages to arrive on or before the Christmas holiday. The overall advice: The earlier you send, the better.
Scroll down for deadlines from USPS, UPS and FedEx:
USPS
Dec. 15: This is the last day for retail ground shipping.
Dec. 17: This is the last day for first-class mail service (including greeting cards) and packages up to 15.99 ounces.
Dec. 18: This is the last day for Priority Mail service.
Dec. 23: This is the last day for Priority Mail Express service.
More information on USPS holiday shipping deadlines can be found here.
UPS
Dec. 15: This is the last day for UPS Ground service.
Dec. 21: This the last day for UPS 3 Day Select service.
Dec. 22: This is the last day for UPS 2nd Day Air service.
Dec. 23: This is the last day for UPS Next Day Air service.
More information on UPS holiday shipping deadlines can be found here.
FedEx
The company advises planning ahead to ensure gifts arrive on time. You can create your own shipping label at home and find a nearby location for easy drop-off service.
Dec. 15: This is the last day for FedEx Ground service.
Dec. 21: This is the last day for FedEx Express Saver and 3Day Freight services.
Dec. 22: This is the last day for FedEx 2Day A.M. and 2Day Freight services.
Dec. 23: This is the last day for FedEx 1Day Freight, Extra Hours, Standard Overnight, Priority Overnight and First Overnight services.
Dec. 24: This is the last day for FedEx SameDay, SameDay City Priority and SameDay City Direct services.
More information on FedEx holiday shipping deadlines can be found here.
(WASHINGTON) — The Senate Homeland Security Committee on Tuesday added TikTok to a list of social media companies being scrutinized for their potential involvement in the spread of misinformation related to the Jan. 6 attack on the United States Capitol.
In a letter obtained by ABC News, chairman Gary Peters, D-Mich., wrote to the company seeking additional information on how the app monitors “extremist and conspiracy” content.
“In the lead up to the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol, domestic extremists reportedly used TikTok to recruit, organize, and communicate,” Peters writes to TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew. “Since January 6th, domestic extremist groups have used TikTok to continue to spread their messages through content supporting white supremacists, extremists, and terrorist organizations.”
The Senate Homeland Security Committee spent months examining security and response failures related to the Jan. 6 attack culminating in a bipartisan report that found failures at every level of government that led to the breach of the Capitol by Trump supporters.
Part of that report, released in June, found that there were multiple warnings on social media about potential violence leading up to the attack.
Since the report, the committee has been sharpening its focus on the role that social media played in the attack, and continues to play in the spread of extremist misinformation.
The committee’s letter to TikTok Tuesday adds the company to a list of social media giants already being examined. Chairman Peters sent letters last month to other social media and tech giants like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. A committee aide confirms that work to get the information requested from these organizations is ongoing.
Peters is seeking information from TikTok on how the company identifies content that violates its terms of service governing violent extremism, enforcement of community guidelines and information on how the company’s algorithms recommend content.
He raises concerns in his letter that TikTok benefits financially from keeping viewers engaged with extremist content, citing a Wall Street Journal investigation which found that the app directed users who viewed political videos to QAnon and election fraud content.
“These algorithms increase user engagement, which in turn increases the amount of time users spend on these platforms, and by extension, the amount of advertisements that can be shown,” Peters writes. “There is a financial incentive for social media platforms like TikTok to keep users engaged on their platforms and viewing content, including extremist content.””
TikTok did not respond to a request for comment on the committee’s letter. Its community guidelines, posted on its site, say it prohibits “violent extremism.” A TikTok representative responded to earlier questions about extremist videos on the site in a separate report by Politico.
“There is absolutely no place for violent extremism or hate speech on TikTok, and we work aggressively to remove any such content and ban individuals that violate our Community Guidelines,” spokesperson Jamie Favazza said in an email to Politico. ABC News has not independently reviewed that email.
The House has already taken some interest in TikTok, a Chinese-owned company that features a stream of short videos. The House Select Committee on Jan. 6 has asked social media companies, including TikTok, to turn over any records regarding the attack at the Capitol. The committee asked 15 companies including Facebook, and Twitter, to turn over any “records, including data, reports, analyses, and communications stretching back to Spring of 2020,” according to a committee press release.
Congress has heightened its focus in recent weeks on regulating social media more generally in light of allegations by Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen, who unearthed documents she says shows the company had knowledge of its platforms’ negative impact and did little to stop it.
Among other allegations, Haugen alleged in an interview on the CBS News program “60 Minutes” that Facebook decided to ease safeguards put in place to stop the spread of disinformation during the 2020 election season, which she says contributed to the Jan. 6 attack.
Facebook has publicly disputed Haugen’s claims, pointing to investments in security that the company has made in recent years.
“Every day our teams have to balance protecting the ability of people to express themselves openly with the need to keep our platform a safe and positive place,” Lena Pietsch, the director of policy communications for Facebook, said in a statement earlier this month. “To suggest we encourage bad content or do nothing is just not true.”
Haugen testified before a subcommittee of the Senate Commerce Committee last week. The Senate Homeland Security Committee also plans to meet with Haugen, a committee aide confirms.
The administration also said it is working to thread the needle between ensuring citizen privacy and preventing future attacks.
“We are focused on ensuring that while we do this critical work, we protect civil rights, civil liberties, and the rights and privacy of each member of the American public,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told the House Homeland Security Committee in September.
He emphasized to the committee the department is “ideology neutral” and focus on ideologies “connectivity to violence, regardless of the politics.”
“This has been a long-standing challenge,” he said.
