Month: November 2023

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Entertainment Daypop

Mariah Carey rings in the Holiday Season with short clip announcing ‘It’s Time!’

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Mariah Carey, the self-proclaimed ‘Queen of Christmas,’ has announced that it is officially the holiday season in a new video proclaiming, “It’s Time!”

The clip, posted on social media along with the caption ‘It’s…… TIME!!! 🎃🧊🎄 #MariahSZN’, shows a clock counting down the seconds until midnight on Halloween. As soon as the clock strikes midnight, a vault opens to reveal Carey frozen in a block of ice. People sporting Halloween costumes start using hairdryers to melt the ice to set Carey free, and as she emerges, the singer exclaims, “It’s time!” The video ends with Carey and her children Moroccan and Monroe running into the frame to hug and dance around with their mother to her smash holiday hit song, “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” as snow falls.

Carey revealed earlier in October that she will be launching a small holiday-themed tour — ‘The Merry Christmas One and All Tour’ will kick off on November 15th in Highland California and will conclude on December 17th at New York’s Madison Square Garden, with two new dates in Cleveland and New York. Check out the Merry Christmas One and All tour dates at the social media link: here.

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News Daypop

North Dakota woman arrested for allegedly killing boyfriend by poison

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A North Dakota woman was arrested and charged for allegedly killing her boyfriend last month by poisoning him. The suspect, 47-year-old Ina Thea Kenoyer, is believed to have murdered 51-year-old Steven Edward Riley, Jr. of Minot (a city in North Dakota about 50 miles south of the Canadian border) due to financial reasons. Riley died on Sept. 5 at a hospital in Bismarck after being transferred there from a local hospital in Minot. Results of a subsequent autopsy determined that Riley’s official cause of death was poisoning.

The Minot Police Department said in a news release shared to its Facebook page that Kenoyer was taken into custody Monday and charged with class AA felony murder in the death of Riley, who was in a relationship with Kenoyer, and who is also from Minot. In North Dakota, a class AA felony could carry a maximum penalty of life in prison without the possibility of parole if there is a conviction. An investigation into Kenoyer and the circumstances leading up to Riley’s death is still ongoing.

Police believe that Kenoyer “had financial motives to murder Riley,” they said. Kenoyer is being held at the Ward County Jail in Minot. Capt. Dale Plessas, the investigations commander at the Minot Police Department, in a statement: “This case was extremely complex. Thank you to everyone who provided us with information that helped our investigators piece this together.”

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News Daypop

Senate confirms Jack Lew as U.S. ambassador to Israel in 53-43 vote

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The Senate confirmed former Treasury Secretary Jack Lew to be the new U.S. ambassador to Israel on Tuesday, approving his nomination amid the war in Gaza as Congress gears up for a fight over how to provide funding to support Israel against Hamas.

The Senate voted 53-43 to confirm Lew, 68, with support from only two Republicans: Sens. Rand Paul, of Kentucky, and Lindsey Graham, of South Carolina. No members of the Democratic Caucus voted against him. President Biden nominated Lew in September amid strained relations between the U.S. and Israel over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s controversial plans to overhaul their judicial system and settlement expansion in the West Bank. The Oct. 7 terrorist attack by Hamas increased the urgency in confirming Lew. The U.S. has not had an ambassador in Israel since July, when Tom Nides stepped down after nearly two years on the job. Stephanie Hallett, a career diplomat, has been the top official at the U.S. Embassy in the interim.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on the floor after the vote: “The Senate, I’m proud to say, has now taken an extremely important step in our support of Israel. With Israel defending itself against Hamas, this ambassadorship is as important and timely as any nomination that the Senate has confirmed in a long time.”

Lew, who is Jewish, has been active in pro-Israel advocacy circles during this time in government. He was White House chief of staff for the last two years of President Barack Obama’s first term and then treasury secretary from 2013 to 2017. However, Republicans had been critical of Lew over his involvement in the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. During his confirmation hearing, Lew was grilled by Republicans on lifting sanctions on Iran as part of the agreement.

Editorial credit: Sergey Starostenko / Shutterstock.com

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Country Daypop

2023 CMA Awards: Luke Bryan, Jelly Roll, Carly Pearce among performers

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The Country Music Association has announced a first round of performers for the 2023 CMA Awards, with Luke Bryan, Jelly Roll and Carly Pearce set to perform, along with K. Michelle, Little Big Town, Megan Moroney, Old Dominion, Chris Stapleton and Lainey Wilson.

The news broke on X: “BREAKING NEWS!! 🤩 Performing LIVE at the #CMAawards –
@LukeBryan, @JellyRoll615, @KMichelle, @LittleBigTown, @_MegMoroney, @OldDominion, @CarlyPearce, @ChrisStapleton, @TanyaTucker, AND @LaineyWilson! Stay tuned for even MORE stars announced soon! 🎶
Additional performers will be announced soon.”

Wilson leads this year’s nominees with nine nominations, including Entertainer of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year for Bell Bottom Country. Jelly Roll follows with five nominations, while Luke Combs and Hardy have four nominations each.

The 57th annual ceremony will take place Nov. 8 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville and air at 8 p.m. EST on ABC.

Editorial credit: Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com

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Country Daypop

Tanya Tucker to be honored on inaugural ‘CMT Smashing Glass: A Celebration of the Groundbreaking Women of Music’

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CMT has announced that Patti LaBelle and Tanya Tucker are being honored during the first-ever CMT Smashing Glass: A Celebration of the Groundbreaking Women of Music television special set to air on November 15 at 9/8c. CMT Smashing Glass will also pay respect to the late women of music with memorial tribute medleys to Aretha Franklin, Sinead O’Connor and Tina Turner.

The new multi-genre musical event recognizes women ‘who have smashed stereotypes, broken records and defiantly blazed trails for future generations of female artists.’   Smashing Glass will merge performances with documentary-style storytelling leading up to LaBelle and Tucker each taking the stage to deliver a performance. Additional show details, performers and special guests will be announced soon.

Margaret Comeaux, CMT’s Senior Vice President of Production, Music & Events and Executive Producer, shared: “We’re beyond excited to bring this electrifying and empowering new franchise to life by honoring iconic women who’ve fearlessly ‘smashed glass ceilings’ and kicked in doors, holding them wide open for past, present and future generations. Both Patti and Tanya deserve to be celebrated for continuing to set the industry gold standard with boundary-breaking crossover success, bold, uncompromising lives and careers, and creating timeless music and impact that remains as powerful and relevant as ever.”

Patrizia DiMaria, Executive Producer added: “Inspired by so many other women who have smashed glass ceilings before us, we’ll also pay homage to three other female juggernauts with in-show ‘Moments of Respect,’ nodding to Aretha Franklin, the ‘Queen of Soul’ who forever altered the path for women with her legacy of demanding ‘R.E.S.P.E.C.T,’ the ‘Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll,’ Tina Turner, who empowered the world with her resilience, and Sinead O’Connor, who broke the traditional ‘pop star’ mold and used her life and music to illuminate the world’s burning issues.”

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Entertainment Daypop

‘General Hospital’ actor Tyler Christopher dies at age 50

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Tyler Christopher, best known for his Emmy-winning role of Nikolas Cassadine on the long-running ABC soap opera ‘General Hospital’ has passed away at age 50.  Christopher’s former GH costar Maurice Benard confirmed the actor’s death on Instagram: “It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Tyler Christopher. Tyler passed away this morning following a cardiac event in his San Diego apartment Tyler was a truly talented individual that lit up the screen in every scene he performed and relished bringing joy to his loyal fans through his acting. Tyler was a sweet soul and wonderful friend to all of those who knew him. Tyler was an advocate for better mental health and substance use treatment who openly spoke about his struggles with bipolar depression and alcohol. We are beyond devastated by the loss of our dear friend and pray for his children and his father.”  The circumstances surrounding the veteran actor’s death remain unclear at this time, and the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office has not confirmed an exact cause of death as of press time.

General Hospital Executive Producer Frank Valentini shared in a statement: “I am heartbroken over the news of Tyler Christopher’s passing. He was kind, an incredible actor, and dear friend, who was beloved by our GH family and fans of Nikolas Cassadine. On behalf of everyone at General Hospital, our heartfelt sympathies go out to his loved ones during this difficult time.”

Christopher portrayed Nikolas Cassadine on General Hospital from 1996 to 2016. He was nominated for five Daytime Emmy Awards, winning in 2016 for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Christopher also portrayed Stefan DiMera on Days of Our Lives from 2018 to 2019, which earned him another Daytime Emmy nomination.

Christopher struggled with bipolar depression and substance abuse for many years, and was arrested in 2019 when he fell asleep in the back of an Uber while intoxicated. He pled guilty, with a judge denying a request by law enforcement that Christopher be sentenced to an alcohol treatment program.  He was also recently arrested at the Hollywood Burbank Airport for public intoxication this past May, before being released on $250 bail.

Christopher married former ESPN reporter Brienne Pedigo in 2008; they later divorced in 2019. The former couple share two children: Greysun James Christopher and Boheme Christopher. Christopher was also previously married to actress Eva Longoria from 2002 to 2004.

Editorial credit: Michael Mattes / Shutterstock.com

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Entertainment Daypop

Channing Tatum and Zoë Kravitz are engaged after two years together

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PEOPLE reports that Channing Tatum and Zoë Kravitz are engaged to be married after two years together.

The couple started dating in 2021 while working on Kravitz’s forthcoming directorial debut, Pussy Island, which stars Tatum. Kravitz showed off an engagement ring over the weekend while attending a Halloween party where she dressed as Mia Farrow’s character from Rosemary’s Baby, and Tatum wore a baby costume.

Kravitz told GQ in an interview last year: “Whether it was making me tea or pouring me a drink or going to whip someone into shape or whatever — he really was my protector and it was really wonderful and sweet. mHe’s just a wonderful human. He makes me laugh and we both really love art and talking about art and the exploration of why we do what we do. We love to watch a film and break it down and talk about it and challenge each other.”

Tatum was previously married to Jenna Dewan, with whom he shares daughter Everly, 11. Kravitz married actor Karl Glusman in 2019 before filing for divorce the next year.

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