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Lin-Manuel Miranda made a surprise return as Alexander Hamilton during a cameo on Saturday Night Live.
The NBC sketch comedy show’s cold open on Jan. 25 featured Miranda reprising his iconic Hamilton role in a hilarious spoof of the U.S. founding fathers signing the Declaration of Independence.
The nearly seven-minute sketch began with Miranda, dressed in full Hamilton attire, joining his fellow statesmen as he rapped about America’s future.
“What matters is the nation we build,” the Tony winner rapped. “Because in America, all men are created equal. America, not England. We’re doing the sequel. And we will have leaders, but no one thing. In America we will never have a king.”
The Broadway star’s performance was interrupted by SNL cast member James Austin Johnson, who impersonated Donald Trump. Johnson’s Trump took the spotlight, boasting about becoming the 47th president.
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“Never say never,” Johnson’s Trump said as Miranda and the other founding fathers froze in place. “Kidding of course, though many ways I’m not. I’m in my king era.”
He continued, “But just like the founding fathers, I am creating a new country as well. And just like them, we’re doing it very whitely. DEI is over. It’s dead. Workplaces must go back to looking like the TV show The Office: mostly white people but with one funny Black guy who is having a really bad time.”
After making a playful jab at Trump’s 18-year-old son Barron, Johnson’s Trump declared his second inauguration a “tremendous success,” saying, “It was inside due to cold and fear. But we had a lot of surprise guests. Like Melania. That was nice.”
The president then took aim at Miranda, teasing him for being “tricked into coming here and now he’s frozen on stage.”
“Oh, look at Lin,” Johnson’s Trump said, mocking Miranda’s stillness. “Look at how bad he wants to do a rap. He wrote a whole rap and he doesn’t get to do it. Oh, the audience would have eaten that up. But we’re not gonna hear it.”
Getting closer to Miranda’s frozen Hamilton, Johnson’s Trump taunted, “He’s in sniffing distance of an EGOT and he’s got to stand there until I’m done.” Miranda finally broke character, cracking a smile as Trump continued, “Lindy, Lindy, Lindy, Lindy. Laura Linney. Lin-Manuel Miranda Cosgrove. There he is.”
Saturday’s episode also featured Timothée Chalamet, star of the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, pulling double duty as both host and musical guest. You can catch recaps of his monologue here and his musical performances here.
Watch SNL‘s “Founding Fathers Cold Open” below. For those without cable, the broadcast streams on Peacock, which you can sign up for at the link here. Having a Peacock account also gives fans access to previous SNL episodes.
Two days after the death of DJ Unk, the Atlanta rapper behind the 2006 snap hit “Walk It Out,” his wife has revealed the cause of his passing.
Sherkita Long-Platt, DJ Unk’s widow, confirmed on Friday (Jan. 24) that the rapper had died at the age of 43. In a heartfelt Facebook post, she wrote, “Please respect me and my family. I just lost my husband and my kids just lost their father. Our life will never be the same. I LOVE YOU ANTHONY FOREVER,” without disclosing the cause of death.
On Sunday (Jan. 26), Long-Platt shared with TMZ that her husband passed away in his sleep after suffering a cardiac arrest. She also addressed rumors circulating about DJ Unk’s possible involvement with substance abuse, clarifying that he had not struggled with drugs.
TMZ reports that a candlelight vigil for DJ Unk is planned for Sunday evening in his Atlanta neighborhood.
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Born Anthony Leonard Platt, DJ Unk was part of the Southern Style DJs before signing with Big Oomp Records in 2000. He made his debut with the single “Walk It Out” in August 2006, months ahead of his first album, Beat’n Down Yo Block!, which reached No. 21 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. “Walk It Out” peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 2 on both Hot Rap Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
“I’m glad that it’s good energy and good vibes in the song ’cause they use it as far as work out dances, they use it in church, they use it for anything,” DJ Unk told Billboard at the 2023 BET Awards.
He also expressed his gratitude for André 3000’s verse on the remix of “Walk It Out,” which featured OutKast and Jim Jones. “I still can’t believe that to this day,” he said. “I never dreamed that he would get on a record like that because he’s so powerful as far as hip-hop and music and everything, so it’s a blessing. That was a dream come true. It was like doing a song with Michael Jackson.”
DJ Unk’s second single, “2Step,” from Beat’n Down Yo Block!, reached No. 24 on the Hot 100 and landed in the top 10 on both Hot Rap Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. The success of those tracks solidified DJ Unk as a leader of the snap subgenre of Southern hip-hop. His second album, 2econd Season, released in 2008, peaked at No. 15 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
More recently, GloRilla’s 2024 debut album, Glorious, features a sample of DJ Unk’s “Hold on Ho” from Beat’n Down Yo Block!
Timothée Chalamet playfully poked fun at himself during his Saturday Night Live monologue on Jan. 25.
The 29-year-old actor, who stars as Bob Dylan in the new film A Complete Unknown, took on dual roles as both host and musical guest for the night. Returning for his third time as host, the New York native opened his nearly five-minute monologue by joking about his frequent losses at major award shows and his struggle with facial hair.
“This is my third time hosting Saturday Night Live, but the first time hosting it with a little stache and a little goatee,” Chalamet quipped, referencing a Golden Globes joke. “That’s 37 hairs right there,” he added, as the camera zoomed in on his goatee.
Chalamet also reflected on his role as the folk icon, which follows his 2023 film Wonka.
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“I will say, it was a little weird playing Bob Dylan right after I played Willy Wonka,” he said. “But I actually discovered that the two men have a lot in common. They’re both eccentric, they’re both innovators, and they both captured and enslaved hundreds of Oompa-Loompas.”
Chalamet then shifted to his repeated losses at awards shows, showing a montage of his disappointed reactions when winners were announced.
“It’s an enormous honor going to these award shows,” he said before setting up the video. “It’s a great experience but I just keep losing. And each time, it gets harder to pretend it doesn’t sting. Let’s take a look. Oh man, just another lonely night with my Dune popcorn bucket.”
A Complete Unknown, directed by James Mangold, has earned eight Academy Award nominations, including best picture. After the compilation video, Chalamet was set to practice an acceptance speech — only to be interrupted by SNL cast member Kenan Thompson, who humorously took the faux award for himself.
Chalamet wrapped up his monologue by teasing the Dylan songs he would perform later in the show.
“You might not know the Bob Dylan songs I’m performing, but they’re my personal favorites,” he told the audience. “And I’m so grateful Saturday Night Live is still doing weird stuff life this 50 years in.”
He added with a grin, “They’re either really nice for letting me do this or incredibly mean, and this is all a big prank. I sincerely can’t tell. We’ll find out.”
Introduced by SNL alum Adam Sandler, Chalamet began his musical guest spot with a high-energy performance of “Outlaw Blues,” which smoothly transitioned into a more intimate, spoken-word version of “Three Angels,” with surprise guest James Blake on keyboards and backing vocals. He later returned with an acoustic guitar for a heartfelt cover of “Tomorrow Is a Long Time,” again accompanied by Blake on keys and vocals.
Watch Chalamet’s full SNL monologue below. For those without cable, the broadcast streams on Peacock, which you can sign up for at the link here. Having a Peacock account also gives fans access to previous SNL episodes.
Timothée Chalamet brought his Bob Dylan character to Studio 8H during his Saturday Night Live appearance on Jan. 25.
The 29-year-old actor, who portrays the folk icon in the new film A Complete Unknown, took on dual roles as both host and musical guest for the evening. As anticipated, Chalamet embraced his Dylan persona during his musical segments, delivering a trio of songs by the legendary artist.
Introduced by SNL alum Adam Sandler, Chalamet opened with a high-energy rendition of “Outlaw Blues,” which smoothly transitioned into a more intimate, spoken-word version of “Three Angels,” accompanied by surprise guest James Blake on keyboards and backing vocals.
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Later in the episode, Chalamet returned with an acoustic guitar for a heartfelt cover of “Tomorrow Is a Long Time,” with Blake once again supporting him on vocals and keys. During his opening monologue, Chalamet shared that he chose these songs because they are his “personal favorites.”
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Fresh off portraying Dylan in James Mangold’s A Complete Unknown — which has earned eight Academy Award nominations, including best picture — Chalamet previously revealed that he performed all his own vocals for the film.
Saturday marked Chalamet’s first time serving as SNL’s musical guest, although he’s appeared on the show twice before. He first hosted in 2020 and returned in 2023, starring in a viral sketch where he portrayed Troye Sivan in a sleep-paralysis hallucination.
SNL is currently in its 50th season, with a special anniversary episode set for Feb. 16. This season has also featured notable hosts like Ariana Grande, Charli XCX, John Mulaney, Chris Rock and Martin Short, while musical guests have included Hozier, Gracie Abrams and Stevie Nicks, among others.
Watch Chalamet’s SNL performances below. For those without cable, the broadcast streams on Peacock, which you can sign up for at the link here. Having a Peacock account also gives fans access to previous SNL episodes.
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The NFC Championship has been weeks in the making and features two high-level National Football Conference teams looking to go to New Orleans for Super Bowl LIX.
The Washington Commanders (14-5) take on the Philadelphia Eagles (16-3) at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Sunday (Jan. 26).
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When Does Washington vs. Philadelphia Start?
The Washington vs. Philadelphia game broadcasts live, with kickoff at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT. The game airs on Fox.
Where to Watch Washington vs. Philadelphia for Free
For cord-cutters, there are a few ways to watch Washington Commanders vs. Philadelphia Eagles — especially if you want to watch for free. DirecTV Stream has a five-day free trial, while other streaming services — such as Fubo and Hulu + Live TV — also offer a free trial so you can watch Fox for free.
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Keep reading for more details on how to watch the Washington-Philadelphia game with DirecTV Stream and Hulu + Live TV.
How to Watch Washington vs. Philadelphia With DirecTV Stream
A subscription to DirecTV Stream’s “MySports” — which comes with Fox for Washington vs. Philadelphia — gets you access to live TV, local and cable channels, starting at $49.99 per month for the first three months of service and $69.99 per month after that. The service’s new “MySports” package even offers a five-day free trial to watch for free if you sign up now.
You can watch local networks such as NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox, while you can also watch many of the best sports networks, including ESPN, FS1, CNBC, NBA TV, NHL Network, Big Ten Network, TNT Sports, The Golf Channel and many others.
How to Watch Washington vs. Philadelphia With Hulu + Live TV
The Washington Commanders vs. Philadelphia Eagles game on Fox is available to watch with Hulu + Live TV too. Prices for the cable alternative start at $82.99 per month, while each plan comes with Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+ at no additional cost.
Hulu + Live TV might be best for those who want all of these streaming services together in one bundle. It also features many other networks, including ABC, Hallmark Channel, BET, CMT, Disney Channel, NBC, Fox Sports and more.
How to Watch Washington vs. Philadelphia with Fubo
To watch Washington vs. Philadelphia on Fox, Fubo starts at $59.99 for the first month, $84.99 per month afterwards (the streamer’s current deal) with more than 210 channels — including local and cable — that are streamable on smart TVs, smartphones, tablets and on web browsers.
The service even gets you live access to local broadcast networks including NBC, CBS and ABC, while it also has dozens of cable networks, such as ESPN, Bravo, CMT, ID, TV Land, VH1, TLC, E!, FS1, MTV, FX, Ion, OWN, Paramount Network and much more.
Who Is Performing During Washington vs. Philadelphia Halftime Show?
There’s a few of performances throughout the NFC Championship game. The NFL game starts with Broadway star Mary Kate Morrissey, who is currently playing Elphaba in Wicked, performing the National Anthem before kickoff, while rapper Armani White performs during the game’s halftime show.
How to Buy Washington vs. Philadelphia Tickets Online
Want to attend the Washington-Philadelphia game in person? There are still last-minute tickets to the NFC Championship game available via Vivid Seats (get $20 off purchases of $200 and over with code BB2024), SeatGeek (your first purchases can get $10 off ticket order $250 and with code BILLBOARD10), StubHub and GameTime (score $20 off ticket orders of $150 and over with code SAVE20). Prices vary depending on the city and seats available.
Moreover, you can save $150 off when you spend $500 with promo code BILLBOARD150, or $300 off when you spend $1,000 with promo code BILLBOARD300 at TicketNetwork.com.
Starting at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT, NFC Championship 2025: Washington Commanders vs. Philadelphia Eagles broadcasts on Fox. It’s also available to livestream on DirecTV Stream for free on Sunday (Jan. 26).
Want more? For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best Xbox deals, studio headphones and Nintendo Switch accessories.
Gracie Abrams just announced Dora Jar as the opening act for her upcoming tour dates in Europe. In a bewildering move, a fan planning to attend the February-March leg of Abrams’ Secret of Us Tour started a petition to replace Jar as the opener.
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A screenshot shared on social media shows that the petition was created on Change.org.
Though Jar has previously been the supporting act for Billie Eilish and The 1975 on arena tours, and toured in support of her own album this past fall, the petition’s creator — under the pseudonym Dexter Morgan — wrote, “Many fans, including myself, are baffled by the recent announcement … We are perplexed as we do not recognize her, and with less than two weeks till the tour, it’s virtually impossible to familiarize ourselves with her slow-paced songs.”
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They claimed, “For a memorable concert experience, an opening act should set the mood and get the crowd excited, but Dora’s slow tempo songs may not achieve this goal.”
What’s more perplexing: The petition organizer attempted to source Billboard to strengthen their statement that “upbeat opening acts are essential” at a concert. No citation link was shared, and no previous article appears to have been published on this website with those exact words, or arguing that opinion. (For what it’s worth, you won’t find this Billboard editor demanding upbeat openers.)
Jar responded politely when discovering the petition’s existence Friday night (Jan. 24).
“Don’t worry this doesn’t bum me out! I’m hear to perform for all the music loving open hearted fans. those who aren’t interested can go buy merch while I’m playing (but they might as well let me entertain them tho..;)) an overwhelming amount of fans have been so kind & excited,” she said in response to a message spotted on X (formerly Twitter).
Later she joked, “signed the petition but rehearsing these songs just in case I remain the opener! Love u Dexter.”
In another message Jar expressed thanks to fans of Abrams who’ve stepped in with words of support: “Hate comes with the job, the truth is this is the biggest outpouring of love I’ve ever received from a fanbase who is still unfamiliar with me. Gracie has beautiful open hearted fans and I am so excited for this.”
By Saturday, Abrams got word of the ill-mannered petition and spoke out on behalf of Jar.
“Just hearing about this absolute ridiculousness . . . so wildly uncool and bizarre and also just does not remotely add up. I’ve only seen everyone’s total excitement and I couldn’t be luckier or prouder to share a stage with this talented wonder. Stream everything she’s ever made whether or not you’re coming to the show. Dora forever and ever,” Abrams commented on Stereogum’s Instagram post about the situation.
Jar’s debut full-length album, No Way to Relax When You Are on Fire, was released in September, featuring the single “She Loves Me.” The album followed two EPs, 2022’s Comfortably in Pain and 2021’s Digital Meadow.
She first shared the news that she’ll join Abrams on her European trek, which kicks off in Madrid on Feb. 8 and runs through Glasgow on March 12, on Friday (Jan. 24).
“PINCH ME!!!!” Jar captioned the announcement on Instagram. “To all the beautiful Gracie fans in Europe and the UK: it is such an honor to announce that I will be playing some of my songs for you , opening for our golden hearted living legend GRACIE ABRAMS!!! A privilege to soon share the stage and this experience with you @gracieabrams. Can’t wait to see you all, I will share a playlist soon with some songs that I’ll be playing so you can get familiar and sway with me xoxox.”
Billy Ray Cyrus is allegedly “taking legal action” against son Trace Cyrus, according to social media claims posted by Trace on Saturday (Jan. 25).
Trace, the elder brother of Miley Cyrus and Noah Cyrus, posted an Instagram message concerning the Cyrus family on Jan. 22, expressing worry over his father’s well-being. Trace published an Instagram letter again on Jan. 25, saying Billy Ray had threatened him with legal action following the public plea he’d shared for his dad to “get help.”
Billboard reached out to a representative for Billy Ray Cyrus for comment on Saturday.
“Dad my message was beyond loving,” Trace wrote in Saturday’s note to Billy Ray, referencing the public message to his father from a few days ago. “I could have been extremely honest about a lot more but I don’t want to put your business out there like that. But for you to threaten me with legal action for wanting you to get help is a disgrace. Pappy is looking down at you with such disappointment I can assure you. You should be ashamed of yourself. I will always love you but I no longer respect you as a man. Everyone close to you is terrified to tell you how they really feel. I’m not. Get help.”
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In an Instagram Story also posted on Saturday, Trace added, “For all of you wondering no I still haven’t heard from my dad. He did contact a family member to let me know he’s taking legal action against me for encouraging him to get help. Dad I live 30 miles away from you. You could’ve just come & talked to me like a man.”
At press time, Billy Ray has not publicly responded to Trace’s statements.
Trace’s initial message to Billy Ray on Wednesday — which had him stating, “You’re not healthy, Dad and everyone is noticing it,” and “As I write this with tears in my eyes, I hope you realize this message only comes from a place of love and also fear that the world may lose you far too soon” — came after Billy Ray’s shaky performance at Donald Trump’s inauguration Liberty Ball on Jan. 20, an appearance that was marred by technical difficulties and eventually had him singing “Achy Breaky Heart” a capella to the crowd.
In that note, Trace told his father he was coming from the place of being “over a year and a half clean from alcohol,” and said, “I don’t know what you’re struggling with exactly, but I think I have a pretty good idea, and I’d love to help you if you would open up and receive the help.”
The country star did comment on his Liberty Ball performance, writing on Instagram, “I wouldn’t have missed the honor of playing this event whether my microphone, guitar and monitors worked or not. I was there because President Donald J. Trump invited me. I had a ball at the Liberty Ball last night and I’ve learned through all these years when the producer says “you’re on,” you go entertain the folks even if the equipment goes to hell. I was there for the people and we had a blast. That’s called rock n roll!!!”
On Friday, Billy Ray announced an upcoming album, produced by his younger son, Braison. It’s expected to arrive some time this summer.
“This is art imitating life, imitating art,” Billy Ray said of the record. “It starts and ends with art. Braison is very talented and ‘25 is his year. I’m glad to be a part of it. This record is gonna be special. I’m gearing up for what will be the journey of a lifetime.”
Billy Ray and ex-wife Tish are parents to Brandi, now 37, and Trace, 35, both of whom Billy Ray adopted after he’d married Tish. Together, they also share Miley, 31; Braison, 30, and Noah, 25. He’s also the parent of 32-year-old son Christopher, his child with ex-girlfriend Kristin Luckey.
After Billy Ray and Tish went through their divorce in 2022, Billy Ray had a short marriage with now-ex Firerose (Johanna Hodges); they married in 2023 and settled a divorce by 2024.
“What’s being seen in public now reflects much of what I experienced in private during our relationship,” Firerose claimed in a statement to People, following Billy Ray’s performance at the inauguration event and Trace’s message to him. “It’s very sad to see those same struggles continue for him, but I’m glad the truth is coming to light — for his potential good because healing is only possible when you confront the truth and accept there’s a problem.”
Lizzo‘s feeling “Good as Hell” about herself after reaching her weight loss goals — or “weight release” goals, as she gently calls it. The singer shared some new selfies on Saturday (Jan. 25), showing off her figure and stats on her lowered BMI and body fat percentage.
“I did it,” Lizzo wrote in a post on Instagram, where she’s been uploading fitness-related updates amid posts marketing her size-inclusive shapewear/athleisure brand Yitty. “Today when I stepped on my scale, I reached my weight release goal. I haven’t seen this number since 2014! Let this be a reminder you can do anything you put your mind to. Time for new goals!”
In an Instagram Story, she briefly commented on her weight transformation with a video in which she’d predicted, “I’m not going to be considered thin by any means. I will still be considered morbidly obese on the BMI and little bros on the internet are still gonna call me ‘big-backed.’ But I will be happy.” The clip shifted to current footage of Lizzo, glowing and dancing while confirming, “And I am happy! I did it.”
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“Told you I was gonna bump like this,” she sang in the celebratory clip, referencing Kelly Rowland’s 2007 single “Like This” featuring Eve. “Ya’ll didn’t know that I could bump like this.”
In 2024, Lizzo played into jokes she’d been hearing from people who speculated she was using weight-loss drugs as a tool in her health journey. She even dressed up as “LizzOzempic,” a Halloween costume inspired by a South Park episode from May that parodied Lizzo’s well-known body positivity with a new medication: “Ask about the power of not giving a f— — with Lizzo,” the animated show aired in a commercial sketch that claimed, “FDA-approved Lizzo makes you feel good about your weight, and it costs 90% less than Ozempic.” Lizzo showed a sense of humor in reacting to the episode, noting, “I just feel like, damn, I’m really that b—-. I showed the world how to love yourself, and now these men in Colorado know who the f— I am, and put it in their cartoon that’s been around for 25 years.” She promised, “I’m gonna keep on showing you how to not give a f—.”
In October, the singer — whose most recent studio album, 2022’s Special, peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 — also participated in Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit, where she spoke about being in the public eye amid a change in appearance.
“One inevitability we all have to face is that our bodies will change … it’s a beautiful thing,” Lizzo said at the event. “My body is nobody’s business, other than me, my doctor, my trainer and my man.”
See Lizzo’s new selfies below, and check out her celebratory message on Instagram Stories.
Hugh Jackman received an unexpected surprise from his friend and Deadpool & Wolverine co-star Ryan Reynolds during the opening night of his concert series at New York’s Radio City Music Hall.
On Friday (Jan. 24), the 56-year-old Australian actor launched his sold-out show, From New York, With Love, when Reynolds, 48, playfully interrupted from the audience, stepping up for an impromptu speech.
“I was told this was going to be a comedy version of Les Mis as a one-man show. We all said it was a terrible idea but he carried on. I see he’s duped me once again!” Reynolds joked.
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After a few more laughs, Reynolds turned sentimental and shared some heartfelt words about Jackman.
“This was the first major movie star I ever worked with, 16 or 17 years ago on X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” Reynolds recalled, according to People. “And I was young still. I was impressionable. I was expecting going to this movie set with this guy right here, and I didn’t know, I really didn’t know what was gonna happen. … But what I saw was just about the best thing anyone could possibly experience if you’re working your way up in the industry.”
Reynolds continued, “I saw a movie star, a capital M movie star… I saw this gentleman right here walk around that set, and just like here, he knew every single person’s name, even though he was making them up half the time. He showed a kind of courtesy and gentleness and curiosity, and he put value into every single crew member that we were working with.”
The Canadian actor, seated in the center orchestra next to Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy, went on to call Jackman “my gotcha for life.”
“I mean it,” Reynolds said. “And I know we were supposed to finish this bit where these two security gentlemen come and they try to take the mic for me — it’s like a struggle, and then they tase me and I go down, and then they hog-tie me and then they put me in the Radio City music garbage dump, and then they just light it on fire. But I wanted to actually just say, I love this man, I care about this man. He is, he is genuinely the best human being I know — and I have 4 children!”
Jackman responded, “I love you, Ryan Reynolds, I love you, man,” before teasing that Reynolds is actually his fifth best friend. He also jokingly added, “Thanks for coming. And thanks for asking for a free ticket, too.”
In October 2024, Jackman enlisted Reynolds for a humorous promo video to announce the Radio City concert series, which launched Friday with musical numbers from his 2017 film The Greatest Showman, as well as his most recent Broadway show, The Music Man. The concert, Jackman’s first concert in five years, also featured songs from Les Misérables and The Boy From Oz.
Originally slated for 12 performances, From New York, With Love was met with overwhelming demand for tickets and has since expanded to 24 shows, running over eight weekends through October.
Paul McCartney is speaking out against proposed changes to copyright laws, warning that artificial intelligence could harm artists.
The British government is currently considering a policy that would allow tech companies to use creators’ works to train AI models unless creators specifically opt out. In an interview with the BBC, set to air on Sunday (Jan. 26), the 82-year-old former Beatle cautioned that the proposal could “rip off” artists and lead to a “loss of creativity.”
“You get young guys, girls, coming up, and they write a beautiful song, and they don’t own it, and they don’t have anything to do with it. And anyone who wants can just rip it off,” McCartney said. “The truth is, the money’s going somewhere… Somebody’s getting paid, so why shouldn’t it be the guy who sat down and wrote ‘Yesterday’?”
The U.K. Labour Party government has expressed its ambition to make Britain a global leader in AI. In December 2024, the government launched a consultation to explore how copyright law can “enable creators and right holders to exercise control over, and seek remuneration for, the use of their works for AI training” while also ensuring “AI developers have easy access to a broad range of high-quality creative content,” according to the Associated Press.
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“We’re the people, you’re the government. You’re supposed to protect us. That’s your job,” McCartney told the BBC. “So you know, if you’re putting through a bill, make sure you protect the creative thinkers, the creative artists, or you’re not going to have them.”
The Beatles’ final song, “Now and Then,” released in 2023, utilized a form of AI called “stem separation” to help surviving members McCartney and Ringo Starr clean up a 60-year-old, low-fidelity demo recorded by John Lennon, making it suitable for a finished master recording.
As AI becomes more prevalent in entertainment, music and daily life, the debate around its impact continues to grow. In April 2024, Billie Eilish, Pearl Jam and Nicki Minaj were among 200 signatories of an open letter directed at tech companies, digital service providers and AI developers. The letter criticized irresponsible AI practices, calling it an “assault on human creativity” that “must be stopped.”