Month: July 2022

Categories
Country Daypop

Carrie Underwood joins Guns N’ Roses for two surprise concert appearances in the UK

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Carrie Underwood joined Guns N’ Roses onstage for two songs during each of their July 1st and 2nd shows at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the United Kingdom, joining the band during their songs “Sweet Child O’ Mine” and “Paradise City.” Underwood was in London last week to promote her new album, Denim & Rhinestones. 

In April, Underwood welcomed Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose as a special guest during her headline performance at the Stagecoach Festival. After her UK appearance with the band, Underwood took to Instagram to share photos from the first UK show:  “Together again…but this time in London and with a few more friends! ❤ Thanks, @gunsnroses and your crew for welcoming me into your world like family. And thanks to all the fans who gave these legends the royal welcome that they deserve. I am but a fan who somehow managed to find her way on stage to have a moment of magic with her heroes! How did I get so lucky?”

After the second show, she again took to social media to share her excitement: “Never in a million years did I think I would get to spend not one but TWO nights of my life on stage with @gunsnroses ! Thanks, again, to the band and crew and, of course, to the fantastic crowd! The energy was !!! Until next time… #GunsNRoses #AxlRose #Slash #duffmckagan #london”

Editorial credit: Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Country Daypop

Randy Houser announces sixth studio album ‘Note to Self’

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Randy Houser announced his sixth studio album Note To Self, will be available November 11th.  All songs on the 10 track album feature co-writes by Houser, including the title track.

Produced by Houser and Blake Chancey, Randy shares about the project: “Blake and I worked on this record a long time, and I’m really looking forward to sharing the rest of it with the folks who’ve already shown how excited they are for new music. This album came together at a time when I was reflecting on who I am and what’s important to me, envisioning the kind of future I’d like to see for myself and my family.”

“Note To Self” is Houser’s first taste of new music since 2019’s Magnolia.  Houser also released a video for the single, filmed in downtown Nashville and shot in one take by a drone. The video follows Houser performing solo from Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, across the alley and to the historic stage of Ryman Auditorium where he joins his full band.  You can check out the video – here.

Randy Houser Announces Sixth Career Studio Album, ‘Note To Self’

Editorial credit: Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Entertainment Daypop

‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ sequel to open in theaters in 2023

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Sony Pictures has shared plans to release a sequel to Ghostbusters: Afterlife in 2023.  According to Deadline, the studio said that the new film will open in theaters Dec. 20, 2023.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife director Jason Reitman and writer Gil Kenan had previously confirmed there would be a sequel film on June 8 — dubbed ‘Ghostbusters Day.’ The new film will return to the franchise’s original New York City and Firehouse setting. Reitman recently told The Hollywood Reporter: “At the end of Ghostbusters: Afterlife, the Ecto-1 is driving into Manhattan, returning to its home. And before anyone ever heard the title Afterlife, we called it Rust City. Which would not have made sense to anyone until they saw the movie. The code name for the next movie is Firehouse.” 

The Ghostbusters franchise originated with the 1984 film Ghostbusters, directed by the late Ivan Reitman, Jason’s father. The movie was followed by the 1989 sequel Ghostbusters II, the 2016 reboot Ghostbusters, and Ghostbusters: Afterlife, which opened in November.

Editorial credit: Quinn Jeffrey / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Entertainment Daypop

FX renews ‘The Old Man’ with Jeff Bridges for Season 2

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FX has announced the renewal of  The Old Man for a second season, starring Jeff Bridges, John Lithgow and Amy Brenneman.  The first season of The Old Man, featuring seven episodes, debuted on June 16.  The series follows Dan Chase (Bridges), a former CIA agent living off the grid and trying to avoid assassins sent to kill him.

Eric Schrier, FX Entertainment President, said in a statement: “Jonathan E. Steinberg, Dan Shotz and Warren Littlefield have done a fantastic job with The Old Man, which delivers on the powerful intrigue and breathtaking action of Thomas Perry’s book. The stellar cast led by Jeff Bridges, John Lithgow, Amy Brenneman and Alia Shawkat is really connecting with audiences and we are excited to get to work on Season 2 with our colleagues at 20th Television and this fantastic team.”

Editorial credit: Joe Seer / Shutterstock.com

Categories
News Daypop

Ketanji Brown Jackson officially sworn in as first Black woman on the Supreme Court

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Ketanji Brown Jackson was sworn in on the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday, becoming the first Black woman on the bench.

The 51-year-old Jackson, a top federal appellate court judge and former public defender, was sworn in at noon following the retirement of Associate Justice Stephen Breyer, who ascended to the high court in 1994 and announced his resignation earlier this year. Chief Justice John Roberts administered the constitutional oath, and Breyer administered the judicial oath. Roberts said at the ceremony: “There will be a formal investiture in the fall, but the oaths will allow Judge Jackson to undertake her duties, and she’s been anxious to get to them without any further delay. On behalf of all of the members of the court, I am pleased to welcome Justice Jackson to the court and to our common calling.”

Jackson was a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit for about a year before ascending to the Supreme Court.  President Joe Biden had promised during his campaign for president in 2020 that he would nominate a Black woman to the court.

The Senate narrowly confirmed Jackson in April by a 53-47 vote, with most Republicans arguing that Jackson’s track record as a judge showed she is weak on crime. Jackson is the 116th Supreme Court justice, and will formally join the court when it begins its next term in October.

Editorial credit: White House Photography / Shutterstock.com

Categories
News Daypop

U.S. Supreme Court limits federal power to curb carbon emissions at power plants

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In a 6-3 ruling, the Supreme Court said on Thursday that the Environmental Protection Agency has no authority in regulating carbon emissions from existing power plants.

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority opinion that Congress must have a say in applying such rules: “In certain extraordinary cases, both separation of powers principles and a practical understanding of legislative intent make us ‘reluctant to read into ambiguous statutory text’ the delegation claimed to be lurking there. To convince us otherwise, something more than a merely plausible textual basis for the agency action is necessary. The agency instead must point to ‘clear congressional authorization’ for the power it claims.”

The liberal justices maintained that Congress already had given the EPA that authorization through the Clean Air Act. Justice Elena Kagan wrote in her dissent: “Today, the court strips the EPA of the power Congress gave it to respond to the most pressing environmental challenge of our time. It deprives EPA of the power needed — and the power granted — to curb the emission of greenhouse gases.”

Led by West Virginia, the case was brought by a coalition of Republican-led states and coal companies that contested an earlier federal appeals court decision that said the EPA had the power to issue the kind of regulations they opposed. West Virginia’s lawsuit took issue with the 2015 Obama administration Clean Power Plan, which sought to lower carbon emissions by 32% by regulating existing coal- and natural-gas-fired power plants. The Obama administration had planned to require states to lower carbon dioxide emissions by replacing coal power plants with green energy sources.

During Donald Trump’s presidency, he replaced Obama’s initiative with a plan that essentially removed all regulations. But when President Biden took office, he reversed course and promised to slash greenhouse emissions nationwide dramatically.  Biden called the ruling “another devastating decision that aims to take our country backwards.” He said in a statement: “While this decision risks damaging our nation’s ability to keep our air clean and combat climate change, I will not relent in using my lawful authorities to protect public health and tackle the climate crisis.”  Biden has ordered the Justice Department and other affected agencies to review the Supreme Court ruling and devise plans to allow federal law to cut back on emissions that cause climate change.

Editorial credit: Heidi Besen / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Country Daypop

Kacey Musgraves and Fancy Hagood team up for the song “Blue Dream Baby”

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Kacey Musgraves has teamed up with country-pop singer Fancy Hagood for their newly-released single, “Blue Dream Baby.”  “Blue Dream Baby” will appear on Hagood’s forthcoming record, which follows his successful 2021 collection, “Southern Curiosity.” Hagood and Musgraves are longtime friends, but “Blue Dream Baby” is their first collaboration together. Hagood wrote the single alongside Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild and songwriter Alysa Vanderheym.

In honor of pride month, Hagood and Musgraves have also released the animated music video for the song, featuring “gayliens” and Musgraves’ alter ego “Spacey Kacey.” Take a look at the video for Blue Dream Baby – here.

Hagood wrote on Instagram: “I want to thank @spaceykacey for being the sexiest cartoon I’ve ever seen and for throwing down on the track! It’s a dream come true when you get to put magic out into the world…but to get to do it with one of your besties is just next level of special I could stay high on!”

Hagood also made note of Musgraves’ support of the LGBTQ+ community: “Kacey is such a trailblazer and has created so much room in this town [Nashville] for queer expression and art. I have felt the effects of the change she has helped create not only in my career, but in my personal life as well. Kacey made me feel seen long before we were friends, and I’m so honored to share a track with such a legend.”

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Categories
Country Daypop

Brothers Osborne, Darius Rucker and more to perform at ‘ACM Party for a Cause’

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The Academy of Country Music’s ACM Party for a Cause will return to Nashville on Tuesday, Aug. 23, at Ascend Amphitheater. Brothers Osborne, Darius Rucker, Blanco Brown, Travis Denning, Sara Evans and Caylee Hammack are among the newly announced performers for the event, with more artists to be announced soon. Proceeds from the ACM Party for a Cause will benefit ACM Lifting Lives, the ACM’s philanthropic arm which offers aid to those in need, with a focus on health-related initiatives.

Lyndsay Cruz, ACM Lifting Lives executive director, said in a statement: “We’re so excited to be back in Music City for our second year of Party for a Cause at Ascend Amphitheater. Just like last year, we plan to bring the party to Nashville during a great night of music all for a good cause. We’re so grateful to the artists who participate in this show, giving back to the country music community, and giving fans the opportunity to experience a show they can’t see anywhere else.”

ACM’s Party for a Cause will be held one day prior to the 15th annual ACM Honors ceremony, which is set for Aug. 24 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Miranda Lambert, Chris Stapleton, Shania Twain and Morgan Wallen are among those who will be honored during that event.

General on-sale tickets for ACM Party for a Cause are on sale now via Ticketmaster.

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Entertainment Daypop

Cameron Diaz coming out of retirement to star with Jamie Foxx in the Netflix film ‘Back in Action’

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Cameron Diaz is coming out of acting retirement to reunite with Jamie Foxx for the new Netflix film ‘Back in Action.’

Foxx, 54, announced that he recruited NFL star Tom Brady, who briefly retired in February, to help bring the 49-year-old Diaz out of retirement for the new project. On Twitter, Foxx shared a recording of a conversation with Diaz where he surprised the actress by bringing Brady into the call, with the caption:  “Cameron I hope you aren’t mad I recorded this, but no turning back now. Had to call in the GOAT to bring back another GOAT. @CameronDiaz and I are BACK IN ACTION – our new movie with @NetflixFilm. Production starting later this year!!” 

Foxx and Diaz previously starred together in the 1999 film Any Given Sunday and in the 2014 remake of Annie. Diaz said in an interview with Gwyneth Paltrow’s series In Goop Health: The Sessions that she found peace after retiring from acting following the release of Annie.  She has since become a mother, sharing 2-year-old daughter, Raddix with her husband, musician Benji Madden.

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Entertainment Daypop

Take a look at Julia Roberts and George Clooney in the trailer for their film ‘Ticket to Paradise’

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Universal Pictures has released the first official trailer for the romantic comedy ‘Ticket to Paradise,’ starring George Clooney and Julia Roberts.

The trailer shows Roberts and Clooney as a divorced couple scheming together in Bali to stop their lovestruck daughter from repeating their mistake 25 years earlier when they married impulsively. Ol Parker of Mamma Mia! and Here We Go Again directed the film, taken from a script he wrote with Daniel Pipski.  The film also stars Billie Lourd.

The Oscar-winning duo of Roberts and Clooney have teamed up together previously for films including Ocean’s Eleven, Ocean’s Twelve and Money Monster.

Ticket to Paradise will be released in theaters Oct. 21. Check out the trailer – here.

Editorial credit: Denis Makarenko / Shutterstock.com