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Blake Lively and Taylor Swift’s text messages will have to be handed over in litigation over the movie It Ends With Us, with a judge determining that the friends’ conversations about the working environment on set are relevant to Lively’s sexual harassment and retaliation claims against co-star and director Justin Baldoni.
Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, prevailed Wednesday (June 18) on the issue of Swift’s text messages, which have taken center stage in Lively’s It Ends With Us lawsuit over the past month. Baldoni first tried to get the texts directly from Swift herself, but then dropped his subpoena on the pop superstar, opting instead to seek the messages from Lively in the normal discovery process.
Lively’s lawyers fought that request last week, saying the actress’ texts with Swift have no place in court and Baldoni is just trying to make headlines. But Judge Lewis J. Liman says these messages are indeed relevant, citing Lively’s own discovery disclosures that identified Swift as someone who would know that Baldoni sexually harassed her on set and then orchestrated a retaliatory smear campaign after she complained.
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“Given that Lively has represented that Swift had knowledge of complaints or discussions about the working environment on the film, among other issues, the requests for messages with Swift regarding the film and this action are reasonably tailored to discover information that would prove or disprove Lively’s harassment and retaliation claims,” writes the judge.
As for Lively’s claim that Baldoni is only involving Swift in the case to prop up a public relations narrative, Judge Liman says “this concern does not justify denying the Wayfarer parties relevant discovery.”
“A motion or request may be, and in this case often has been, both a legitimate litigation tactic and an attempt to maneuver in the broader court of public opinion,” writes the judge. “The mere fact that the request has been discussed in the press does not render it illegitimate.”
A spokesperson for Lively reacted to the decision on Wednesday by noting that the actress has “produced far more documents in this case” than Baldoni. Lively’s rep also says Baldoni and his publicity team have been trying to “drag Taylor Swift” into the debacle since they launched their alleged retaliatory smear campaign last summer.
“We will continue to call out Baldoni’s relentless efforts to exploit Ms. Swift’s popularity, which from day one has been nothing more than a distraction from the serious sexual harassment and retaliation accusations he and the Wayfarer parties are facing,” adds Lively’s spokesperson.
A rep for Baldoni declined to comment on the decision.
Swift’s reps did not immediately return a request for comment on the matter. In a previous statement from May, the singer’s team said she had no involvement in It Ends With Us and that Baldoni’s subpoena against her was “designed to use Taylor Swift’s name to draw public interest by creating tabloid clickbait instead of focusing on the facts of the case.”
The exchange of documents in Lively’s harassment and retaliation lawsuit, which has also dragged in Swift’s public opponent, Scooter Braun, is geared towards preparing for a trial in 2026. Baldoni has tried to bring a countersuit accusing Lively and her inner circle of defamation, but Judge Liman threw out those claims as legally invalid last week.
T.I. has been hit with an intellectual property theft lawsuit over his upcoming movie Situationships, with a web series producer claiming the title is lifted from her own project of the same name.
The rapper (Clifford Harris Jr.) faces trademark infringement claims in a complaint filed Wednesday (June 18) by Featherstone Entertainment, an Atlanta-based production company run by a creator named Cylla Senii.
Senii has made two seasons of the scripted web series Situationships, which chronicles the ups and downs of millennial dating. The show launched on YouTube in 2016 and has since been distributed by BET Digital, Amazon Prime and Tubi.
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According to the complaint, Senii worked between 2019 and 2024 to develop both TV show and movie versions of Situationships. But in the fall of 2024, she says, she was shocked to learn that T.I. and his company, Grand Hustle Films, were about to start filming their own comedy film called Situationships, written, directed by and starring the rapper.
“Defendants are engaging in a common scheme and effort to take advantage of the public’s association of Featherstone’s ‘Situationships’ brand by marketing their own film and entitling it ‘Situationships,’” writes Senii’s attorney.
The lawsuit claims T.I.’s alleged infringement is intentional. Senii’s lawyer notes that one collaborator she worked with to develop her Situationships show is a close friend of T.I.’s family, and that another producer with whom she discussed the project is now working on the rapper’s movie.
Senii says this behavior is “ironic” after T.I. and his wife Tameka “Tiny” Harris’ recent $71 million trial win in their long-running intellectual property battle against toymaker MGA, which took issue with dolls supposedly modeled after their teen pop group OMG Girlz.
“Unfortunately, T.I. is engaging in the same conduct he fought so vigorously to protect himself from in his own intellectual property lawsuit,” writes Senii’s lawyer.
The lawsuit says Senii sent T.I. a cease-and-desist letter in December 2024, but he never responded. Senii has also challenged T.I.’s numerous attempts to obtain a trademark for “Situationships,” with one of T.I.’s applications getting preliminarily rejected in May after an examiner found there was a likelihood of confusion with the web series mark.
Senii is now levying a slew of claims against T.I. and Grand Hustle Films for trademark infringement, unfair competition and civil conspiracy. She’s seeking an injunction that would bar him from releasing his movie under the moniker “Situationships” as well as unspecified financial damages.
Reps for the rapper and Grand Hustle Films did not immediately return a request for comment on the lawsuit.
President Donald Trump has implemented various actions against immigrants, and Latin artists across all genres have spoken out against these actions. Artists including Peso Pluma, Pepe Aguilar, Becky G, Chiquis and more have gone on social media to share resources to those affected, and their stance on the current political climate. Keep watching for the […]
A New York hedge fund manager linked to the SFX bankruptcy has been quietly co-managing Avant Gardner and the temporarily closed Brooklyn Mirage nightclub since late last year and leading unsuccessful efforts trying to get it reopened, Billboard has learned.
Andrew Axelrod’s Axar Capital has been a secured creditor of Avant Gardner — the Brooklyn nightclub company that books and manages the Brooklyn Mirage, Kings Hall and the Great Hall — since late 2023, sources close to the company have confirmed.
A year prior, former Avant Gardner CEO Billy Bildstein had negotiated the purchase of the Electric Zoo festival from Axelrod, whose Axar Capital was the senior creditor to media mogul Bob Sillerman’s one-time EDM conglomerate SFX — of which Electric Zoo’s parent company, Made Events, was a part. When SFX went bankrupt in 2015, Axar Capital led a takeover of the company, rebranding it LiveStyle and hiring music executive Randy Phillips to lead a selloff of its assets, which included U.S. promoters like Disco Donnie Presents and Life in Color; Europe’s ID&T, the Dutch promoter behind Tomorrowland; and EDM tech startups like Denver-based electronic music platform Beatport. The last asset to sell, in 2022, was Made Events. Axelrod wanted $15 million for the company and structured the deal so that Avant Gardner could pay Axar Capital using the proceeds from the Electric Zoo festival.
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Avant Gardner successfully ran the Electric Zoo festival in 2022 but was sidelined by multiple fiascos the following year including permit denials, gate crashers, the cancellation of the festival’s opening day and accusations of overselling the closing day by 7,000 fans. Due to the disastrous 2023 run, Avant Gardner has faced multiple lawsuits from both fans and unpaid vendors and was condemned by a one-time ally, New York Mayor Eric Adams, who had previously supported the popular Brooklyn Mirage and sided with Bildstein during his high-profile battle with the State Liquor Authority.
Sources tell Billboard that the demise of the festival, and Avant Gardner’s inability to pay Axar the reported $15 million price tag for Electric Zoo, are what led to Axar becoming a senior creditor to Avant Gardner. Terms of the Electric Zoo sale are not public, but a previous agreement between Axar and publicly traded streaming service LiveOne, which purchased Chicago’s Spring Awakening festival — another SFX asset — shows how Axelrod liked to structure some of those deals.
In that agreement, Axelrod sold Spring Awakening to LiveOne for $2.5 million in convertible loans that Axelrod could turn into equity. The deal allowed LiveOne to take over the festival immediately and pay Axelrod back over two years. There was even an option for Axelrod to accept LiveOne stock instead of cash if shares of the company hit certain price targets, but they never did. A month after the deal closed, COVID-19 hit, and Spring Awakening 2020 was canceled. After LiveOne lost $3.5 million on the 2021 event, Axelrod agreed to accept $2.4 million worth of LiveOne stock. But five months later, the value of LiveOne’s stock had fallen 70%, dropping the value of Axelrod’s LiveOne shares to approximately $700,000.
Avant Gardner is a private company, so it’s unclear how the agreement with Axar was structured. Sources tell Billboard that Axelrod made additional investments into the Brooklyn Mirage, which recently underwent extensive renovations and is now attempting to navigate New York’s Department of Buildings to secure a permit to open.
On May 22, Avant Gardner parted ways with Josh Wyatt, a hospitality executive Axelrod had hired to run the company and guide it through renovations that saw the club close for construction. The Brooklyn Mirage was supposed to open May 1 with a concert by Sara Landry, but building inspectors declined to grant the facility a permit to open. A month and a half later, the club has been forced to cancel and relocate more than a dozen shows as its permit problems persist.
Gary Richards, a promoter, touring artist and former CEO of Livestyle for Axar Capital, is now running Avant Gardner and managing day-to-day operations. Billboard reached out to Richards and Axar but was told that neither planned to comment for this story.
Fans of Snoop Dogg‘s Doggyland have a new song to sing along to. This time, Snoop’s lovable character Bow Wizzle linked with social media sensation VanVan — who also happens to voice Doggyland‘s Vancy the Dalmatian character — for a new video for a remix of the “Clean Up Song,” which interpolates the classic children’s […]
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The WNBA is carving out the Saturday afternoon space for nationally-televised games to showcase the best the league has to offer. And now here’s an opportunity for fans to watch star players Kahleah Copper and Angel Reese in action.
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On Saturday (June 21), Phoenix Mercury vs. Chicago Sky takes place at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois.
When Does Phoenix Mercury vs. Chicago Sky Start?
Phoenix Mercury vs. Chicago Sky airs live, with a start time of 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT.
Where to Watch Phoenix Mercury vs. Chicago Sky Online
The Mercury vs. Sky game broadcasts on ABC. It will be available to livestream on Hulu + Live TV.
How to Watch Phoenix Mercury vs. Chicago Sky with Hulu + Live TV
Phoenix vs. Chicago on ABC is available to watch with Hulu + Live TV. Prices for the cable alternative start at $82.99 per month, while each plan comes with Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+ at no additional cost. Sign up for a 3-day free trial to watch the WNBA game for free.
Hulu + Live TV is best for those who want a top-tier streaming bundle that combines live TV and on-demand titles. The streaming service also has many other networks, including NBC, CBS, ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, FS2, Fox, CBS Sports Network, Hallmark Channel, BET, CMT, Disney Channel, Discovery Channel and more.
With tipoff at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT, the Phoenix Mercury vs. Chicago Sky broadcasts on ABC on Saturday (June 21). The game is available to livestream with Hulu + Live TV.
Which Celebrities Are Making Appearances During WNBA Game?
It’s likely there may be a number of celebrities and famous recording artists in attendance during the WNBA game, such as Sky fans Barack Obama, Chance the Rapper, Dwyane Wade, Gabrielle Union and others.
Want more? For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best Xbox deals, studio headphones and Nintendo Switch accessories.
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With the success of the live-action How to Train Your Dragon remake (2025), new fans are discovering the magic and excitement of the Isle of Berk that’s captured in the new movie’s source materials.
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How to Train Your Dragon was based on an animated movie trilogy, which started in 2010, as well as a 12-book young adult series that began in 2003.
And right now, you can pick up the book series set in paperback for $108 on Amazon — $9 per book.
In addition, How to Train Your Dragon books are available as an Audible audiobook, which is only 99 cents for three months for subscribers only.
If you’re not a subscriber, you can sign up for a 30-day free trial. But right now, Audible has a new promotion, which gives new subscribers three months of service for just 99 cents per month for three months. You’ll receive one credit for any audiobook on Audible. But act fast and sign up now, this deal ends on July 31.
‘How to Train Your Dragon: The Complete Series’
You can also get the three-movie collection on Blu-ray on sale for $12.91 (regularly $29.98), a nearly 60% savings.
If you’re an Amazon Prime member, you can order now and the How To Train Your Dragon book or Blu-ray set will be delivered to your home in less than two days once it’s released, thanks to Prime Delivery.
‘How to Train Your Dragon: 3-Movie Collection’
$12.91
$29.98
57% off
Not a member? Sign up for a 30-day free trial to take advantage of all that Amazon Prime has to offer, including access to Prime Video, Prime Gaming and Amazon Photos; fast free shipping in less than two days with Prime Delivery; in-store discounts at Whole Foods Market; access to exclusive shopping events — such as Prime Day and Black Friday — and much more. Learn more about Amazon Prime and its benefits here.
How to Train Your Dragon (2025) — which music by film composer John Powell, who also created the music for the original movie — is in theater right now, while the entire book series is ready to buy for $108 on Amazon, while the three-movie Blu-ray set of the animated films is on sale for $12.91 (reg. $29.98) from the retail giant.
Want more? For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best Xbox deals, studio headphones and Nintendo Switch accessories.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
EXO‘s Kai is going on tour.
That’s right, Aeris: Get excited. The musician’s KAION tour is coming to a city near you, and very soon. Tickets are currently available to the general public on a slew of ticketing sites including Ticketmaster, StubHub, Vivid Seats and so many more, and we’re going to show you how to get them.
The K-pop idol’s touring debut kicked off with a two-night stint at the Olympic Handball Gymnasium in Seoul, South Korea, from May 17-18. The tour name, KAION, is a fusion of KAI + ON, with “AION” meaning eternity in Greek.
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The tour name symbolizes the beginning of eternity for this worldwide tour. Kai will make numerous stops from August to September in the United States in Los Angeles, Texas, Atlanta and New York. EXO’s Baekhyun is also going on tour at the same time as his bandmate, meaning Aeries will be spoiled for options this summer. You can see the full list of dates and stops below.
Where to Buy Tickets to Kai’s 2025 KAION Tour
Courtesy of Ticketmaster
Best Prices
Ticketmaster has some of the best prices we’ve seen so far for Kai’s tour. Standard tickets at some venues start at around $113. Ticketmaster also offers a Fan Guarantee that allows for cancellations, refunds or exchanges within 24 hours of booking, subject to certain exclusions. Current available venues include the Rosemont Theatre in Rosemont, Ill., and The Theater at MSG in New York, NY.
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Best Venue Options
StubHub has a slew of venue options still available for the K-Pop star’s tour. Available venues as of writing include Rosemont Theatre in Rosemont, Ill., Fox Theater Atlanta in Atlanta Ga., Texas Trust CU Theatre in Grand Prairie, Texas and Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles, Calif. Tickets for venues overseas on Kai’s tour docket are also currently available on StubHub’s site.
StubHub’s FanProtect Guarantee allows you to shop for all dates and arenas with ease. It ensures valid tickets every time or your money back. If your event is canceled and not rescheduled, you’ll be able to receive a credit worth 120% of the amount you paid for the impacted event or the option of a cash refund. Safe to say, you’re in good hands.
EARN REWARDS
Snag your seats with Vivid Seats now with help from us. Right now, you can use promo code BB30 to snag $30 off of your purchase. This ticketing service offers a 100% Buyer Guarantee that vows your transaction is secure, that your tickets will be delivered before your event and that your tickets are valid. Pricing for Kai’s tickets is a bit pricey, but by using our code, you’ll get them for a steal so good that you’ll wanna brag about it.
promo codes
We can also help you get the best deals for Kai’s tour tickets on Seat Geek. Right now, you can use promo code BILLBOARD10 at checkout to receive $10 off at checkout. Like most of the ticketing services on this list, Seat Geek features a Buyer Guarantee that ensures a breezy ticket purchase experience no matter what. Some venues have tickets right now for as low as $117.
promo code
There’s nothing better than saving your coin. You can grab Kai’s tour tickets through TicketNetwork with the code BILLBOARD300 to save $300 off orders of $1,000, and BILLBOARD150 to save $150 off orders of $500. Don’t have the money to shell out yet? You can also purchase your tickets on the website now and pay later with help from Affirm. TicketNetwork’s website also includes all-in pricing that lets you see exactly what you’ll be paying upfront (fees included). Right now, a slew of US venues have available tickets on the site so you can choose the spot that’s closest to you without going through scalpers.
Courtesy of Gametime
seating options
Gametime has a multitude of great seating options still available at many venues for a range of great prices, the most versatile options we’ve seen so far. Some venues have tickets starting at $130. Gametime’s guarantee includes low prices, event cancellation protection, job loss assurance and on-time ticket delivery so you can purchase your concert tickets without breaking a sweat.
Kai’s KAION Touring Schedule in the United States
August 28 Los Angeles, CA Shrine Auditorium
August 31 Grand Prairie, TX Texas Trust CU Theatre
September 2 Atlanta, GA Fox Theatre
September 4 Rosemont, IL Rosemont Theatre
September 6 New York, NY The Theater at MSG
More About Kai
Kai is a member of the South Korean boy band EXO. He serves as the band’s main dancer, lead rapper and center. The group debuted back in 2012 and experienced major success in both Korea and the United States. Kai first went solo back in 2020 with his mini album titled Kai. Since then, the musician dropped his EP Peaches in 2021 and EP Rover in 2023. Beyond being an excellent dancer and musician, Kai has also used his gorgeous looks to his advantage as a brand ambassador for Gucci.
Kai’s latest album Wait On Me features seven tracks including singles released ahead of the album “Wait On Me” and “Adult Swim.” Every track on the album is dance-worthy with heavy R&B influence. It stands as one of his more experimental albums to date. The album was dropped in April of this year and serves as Kai’s fourth mini-album.
Bad Bunny is set to kick off his all-stadium world tour on Nov. 21 in the Dominican Republic, in support of his sixth studio album, DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, which topped the Billboard 200 in January. The Live Nation-produced trek will make pit stops in Costa Rica and Mexico in December, before resuming in January […]
Muni Long is set to perform at Megan Thee Stallion’s inaugural Pete & Thomas Foundation Gala in New York City next month. The gala is scheduled for July 16 at Gotham Hall in the Big Apple, as the Houston rapper took it upon herself to completely organize the inaugural event. Taraji P. Henson will play […]
