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27 Jan 2023

Blackface Defending ‘The Bachelor’ Contestant Apologizes

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The Bachelor x Greer Blitzer

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A contestant on The Bachelor has taken to social media to apologize for her past defense of a white teen in Blackface.

According to reports, Season 27 contestant Greer Blitzer issued a statement on Tuesday (Jan. 24th) through the Stories feature on her Instagram account after being called out for defending someone’s use of Blackface years earlier. “The journey to love is filled with lessons and these lessons are also made on our journey of growth. In my past, I have made some uneducated, ignorant, and frankly, wrong comments on my social media accounts,” she wrote. “I am deeply sorry to those I have hurt, especially those within the Black community, not because these screenshots have resurfaced, but because I ever shared these harmful opinions at all, she continued. “Time and age do not excuse my actions, but this is not a reflection of who I am today.”

The actions of the 24-year-old medical sales rep from Texas first came to light last September after someone posted tweets from her account on a Reddit forum defending a fellow teenager who opted to dress as Tupac Shakur for Halloween – complete with Blackface. “The students involved didn’t even know what blackface was so my point exactly. It wasn’t an intentional racist act,” she allegedly wrote back in 2016. In another tweet, she allegedly said: “Putting white powder on your face isn’t okay either. That didn’t make the news did it?”

The controversy flared up again on social media as Blitzer received a “First Impression” rose on the premiere episode of the latest season of the ABC reality show from Bachelor Zach Shallcross. There has been no comment from him after Blitzer’s apology statement. It’s not the first time that the show has been tainted by racism allegations. Previous winner Rachel Kirkconnell came under fire after photos of her at an antebellum-South-themed party were brought to light. The host at the time, Chris Harrison, publicly defended her which led to his dismissal from the show.

27 Jan 2023

Sharon Stone Talks ‘SNL’ Performance With Sam Smith: ‘We Have No Judgement of Each Other’

It takes a very intimate, deep level of trust to pull off what Sharon Stone and Sam Smith did on last weekend’s Saturday Night Live. In Smith’s second performance of the night, the legendary Casino star channeled a Hollywood siren from the early silver screen era as she posed elegantly on a couch in a gilded custom gown while Smith and a choir performed the spiritual title track from the singer’s upcoming Gloria album.

Without a word, and hardly even a gesture, Stone’s surprise cameo managed to both upstage Smith and low-key compliment the dramatic performance without making it all about her, a delicate balance the actress told Variety was a result of the very special relationship the two have developed.

Stone told the magazine that she’d met Smith before through her good pal singer Rufus Wainwright — they all sat together at the premiere of the 2019 Judy Garland biopic Judy — which led to Smith DMing Stone a month ago asking if she would be willing to join him on SNL. “And I said, ‘Well, it’s funny, I am listening to Sam Smith radio [on a streaming service] at the moment, so I think the universe has already decided this. I’d be so thrilled to do it, Sam. I just think you’re the most astounding performer and I’d be absolutely ecstatic to do it,’” she said she told Smith.

Because she’s that kind of pro, Stone reached out to her head costumer to have a custom dress made by Indian designer Gaurav Gupta. Describing the “sound bath” she was in on the SNL stage surrounded by Smith and a gospel choir, Stone said the singer’s directions were minimal. “[They] just asked me if I would do it and trusted me. We just innately understand each other, at an almost intimate level. We have no judgment of each other; we have only affirmative feelings about each other as an artist,” she said. “It’s not a competitive sport, but we want each other to bring our best game, and in order to do that, it’s like, ‘Just go for it, girl.’”

As a veteran who has endured too many co-stars stepping on her close-up moments, Stone said her job during Smith’s performance was simple: just listen. “I’m listening. I’m listening and allowing it to be alive in my heart,” she said before seemingly revealing a bit of news. “I think that what we really wanted was that idea of an apparition — almost like [Russian-French painter] Erte. Sam has asked me to do the music video, so I’m sure that’s going to be quite interesting to see how they would like to process that.”

In an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe this week, Smith expounded on the collab as well, explaining that on their upcoming tour the stage is shaped like Aphrodite, which, of course, called for a golden goddess body to inhabit the SNL stage.

“Sharon Stone is going to be in the middle of the stage at SNL in gold as like a piece of life art. The whole performance is just the choir around her singing ‘Gloria’ to her in this golden light. Isn’t it so sick?,” Smith said, noting that the golden goddess had to be Stone because “she’s a powerful woman, and she exudes vulnerability and beauty in a way that to me is real and authentic.”

Watch the SNL performance below.

27 Jan 2023

First Spin: The Week’s Best New Dance Tracks From Gorgon City, Mau P & More

This week in dance music: we dug deep on the new app helping choreographers get paid, Daft Punk’s Thomas Bangalter announced a forthcoming orchestral album, Detroit’s Movement festival announced the phase one lineup for its 2023 show, we spoke with SG Lewis on the occasion of his new album, out today (Jan. 27), and we surveyed a bunch of DJ on how they manage their hard earned cash.

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And, as you’ve likely already guessed, there is indeed more. Let’s dig in.

Gorgon City, “Rumblah”

Are you ready for a b-side rumbler? Gorgon City’s latest release “Rumblah” is exactly that to the U.K. duo’s 2022 vocal-chop head knocker “Sidewindah” — but that doesn’t mean it’s any less strong. Rather, it’s deeper, darker; the kind of thing you’d play to a warehouse of heads in the wee hours of the night when the rave is at its most depraved. 

“Like ‘Sidewindah,’ ‘Rumblah’ is an ode to the music that we grew up listening to; d&b, jungle, garage and grime,” Gorgon City tells Billboard. “We’ve really been enjoying going back to our roots with our recent club releases, and it’s been heavily influencing the production of our next album. We hope everyone enjoys the track. We’ve loved rumbling bass-bins with it over the last few months!” – KAT BEIN

Melle Brown feat. Loie, “Night Drift”

Since its launch in 2018, Monki’s &Friends record label has become a solid platform for highlighting emerging dance talent in the U.K. space, counting among its catalog up-and-comers such as Meg Ward, t e s t p r e s s, and Flaurese. Its next release comes from London’s Melle Brown, who debuted on &Friends last spring with “One More Chance” and followed that up with the Annie Mac-featuring “Feel About You,” one of Billboard’s top dance songs of 2022. 

Brown’s new single, “Night Drift,” continues her string of warm house gems. Its stomping percussion, buzzing bassline and strobing synths set the nocturnal scene before blooming into swirling, smoky dreaminess filled with Loie’s sensual vocals and twinkling piano riffs. “Night Drift” is both cozy and freeing in its search for bright lights and feeling the wind in your hair, with a vibe shift that feels like finally breaking free of traffic on your own night drive and seeing only open road ahead. As Loie sings, “Keep drivin’.” — KRYSTAL RODRIGUEZ

Bonobo & Jacques Green, “Fold”

The eternally consistent Bonobo returns today with a track that falls neatly into the Bonobo oeuvre. Twinkly, sophisticated and built around a breathy pitched up vocal sample and a heavy kickdrum that land at opposing ends of the soft/hard spectrum, “Fold” is a collaboration from Bonobo (real name: Simon Green) and Canadian producer Jacques Greene, (whose real name, in a shocking twist, is actually Phil.)

“Phil was in L.A. and stopped by for a coffee and studio hang,” Bonobo says. “We made the bulk of the track that day. We each played a few various versions in our DJ sets over the summer (I even dropped it in a live show once) and made some decisions on how to finish it. It’s been going down really well in my DJ sets. Excited to get it out there finally.”

“Fold” drops at an auspicious moment for Bonobo — who next weekend is up for a pair of Grammys, for best dance/electronic recording and best dance album. With seven nominations to his name, but nary a win, we’ve got to say we’re rooting for him. — KATIE BAIN

Junior Sanchez feat. Nez, “Hit It”

House veteran Junior Sanchez returns to Defected Records with a sure dancefloor hit to start the new year, “Hit It” featuring Nez, made to jack up your heart rate and break a sweat. Sanchez builds a tightly knit rhythm teeming with perky synth stabs, fast-shuffling percussion and vocal whoops, which all unravel into a blurry peaktime frenzy. Meanwhile, Nez raps with a fun, dynamic flow that matches the production’s party-starting energy beat for beat. Sanchez says “Hit It” pulls from classic New York and Chicago house as well as Detroit techno— “as if Masters at Work had a jam session with Carl Craig,” he says, “and add Chicago’s young hero Nez’s unique style of rapping … The record is a snapshot of what was, what’s now & what’s tomorrow!”

The music video for “Hit It” was directed by Jamel Rankins (a.k.a. producer Blaqwell), who combined traditional design, illustration and editing techniques with AI systems to create a visual inspired by artist Ernie Barnes’ 1976 painting The Sugar Shack, which appeared in the end credits of American television sitcom Good Times. “This imagery had a big impact on both myself and Junior growing up on the East Coast of the U.S.,” says Rankins. “With this spirit in mind, I aimed to create something visually unique, rooted in the culture, and in line with the vibe of the track — the vibe of house music.” — K.R.

Juuku feat. Gianni Taylor, “Moonlight”

The thought of moonlight streaming through a window or lighting your lovers face can conjure feelings of quiet tenderness, and Juuku’s latest single does start with a bit of sensitivity. In the end, though, it harnesses more of a “the full moon makes people go all out” kind of vibe.

“This song to me represents capturing a beautiful moment of energy at night — one of the very first moments I was introduced to electronic music live,” the mysterious Juuku, who’s shrouded in shadow in most of his PR photos, says. “The energy, the people around me, and the type of world that I was brought into, and how magical it felt during that very first time.”

Its vibrant and colorful synths sing ecstatic over a quicktime beat. “Moonlight” serves as the first single from Juuku’s forthcoming EP Lavender Dreams and Scarlett Nightmares, set to be released on Dim Mak.
“This EP … represents the two sides of the spectrum that encompass the universe I’m building,” he says. “I have synesthesia, which in my case [means] I can see colors when I listen to music, especially when I create it. It’s either in the tone of purple (lavender), or in the tone of red (scarlet). These two colors represent the two different colors that my music encompasses, and this EP is the gateway to this universe I call my own.”

What color is “Moonlight?” Listen and decide for yourself. – K. Bein

Mau P, “Gimme That Bounce”

Tech house’s young prince Mau P today drops the followup to his 2022 monster hit “Drugs From Amsterdam.” Such followups are never easy, but with this new one the Dutch producer extends both his sound and credibility, with the production indeed bouncing along at a peaktime clip, until Mau P slows down the entire operations to nearly a full halt before once again pressing go. Out via Insomniac Records and made of the same DNA as “Drugs From Amsterdam” — one of our 50 best dance tracks of 2022 — “Gimme Dat Bounce” is dark but not heavy, tech-house-ey but not paint by numbers, and generally just stylish, solid and a sign of Mau P’s likely staying power.

“When working on “Gimme That Bounce” my goal was to catch people off guard and get them locked into an instant groove,” the producer says. “With it being the follow-up to ‘Drugs From Amsterdam,’ I wanted to dive deeper into that big sound but still bring something new to the table. When I stumbled upon an old recording of myself, where I was talking about ‘that bounce,’ every piece of the puzzle fell into place.” — K. Bain

27 Jan 2023

The 9 Best Speakers for Music Lovers: Sonos, Bose, JBL & More

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.

Looking to make a few upgrades? Now is a great time to enhance your sound system. Whether you’re a music lover, a dedicated audiophile, gamer, movie buff, TV binger or a combination of all five, the speaker options are plentiful.

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And with retailers such as Amazon, Best Buy, Target and Walmart rolling back prices due to an overstock of inventory, winter sales, the Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day, you’re sure to find great deals on speakers and other electronics.

That said, having too many options can be overwhelming. When shopping for a speaker, it’s good to narrow down the style, size and price that best suits your needs. To make the search a little easier, we gathered up nine of the best speakers for music lovers to play all their favorite tunes, podcasts and more.

From portable Bluetooth speakers to wired and freestanding speaker options, see below for our picks for the best options to enhance your sound system. For more recommendations, read our roundups of the best record players, best over-ear headphones, best wired headphones and best Bluetooth earbuds. 

Amazon

JBL Flip 6 – Portable Bluetooth Speaker

$129.95

If you’re looking for a smaller speaker, the JBL Flip 6 portable Bluetooth player is worth a try. Flip 6 has a two-way speaker system that is designed to deliver rich sound and optimized dual passive radiators for deep bass. Measuring nearly 8 inches long, this portable speaker is equipped with a 20-watt sound output and 12 hours of battery life. It’s also waterproof and dust-proof and comes in several colors, including red, blue and black (prices may vary depending on the color). Purchase the JBL 6 at major retailers such as Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Crutchfield and at JBL.com. If you’re in the market for something cheaper, the JBL Flip 5 is on sale for $99.95 and this Anker Soundcore Bluetooth speaker is on sale for $27.99.

Amazon

Bose SoundLink Flex Bluetooth Portable Speaker

$149 $

The Bose Soundlink Flex is another good choice in portable speakers. These awesome speakers are available in multiple colors, sizes, designs and prices – the cheapest of which is the Bose Soundlink Micro, currently on sale for $99. The Bose Portable Smart Speaker is $399, while the Soundlink Flex falls on the more affordable side of the price scale.

The Soundlink Flex is engineered with a custom transducer that is designed to flood the room with powerful sound. Available in black, white or blue, the speaker’s rugged exterior makes it easy to take on the go, and with up to 12 hours of battery life, you can play tons of songs before it’s time to recharge. The accompanying utility loop is perfect for hanging the speaker on a clip or carrying it around (the Bluetooth range stretches up to 30 feet). The Soundlink Flex is also IP67 certified waterproof and dust-proof.

Amazon

Marshall – Acton II Bluetooth Speaker

$225.99 $279.99

The Acton II Bluetooth speaker from Marshall combines the brand’s iconic retro design with contemporary technology. This compact speaker delivers mega-sound in a smaller package than some of the other Marshall designs. Acton II has three dedicated class D amplifiers, dual tweeters and subwoofers, Bluetooth 5.0 (up to 30 feet), a frequency range of 50-20,000 Hz and a 3.5 mm input for wired connectivity. Connecting the speaker to the Marshall App turns your phone into a control panel to adjust things like volume and playlists. The Action II is available at major retailers such as Crutchfield, Best Buy, Amazon, Urban Outfitters, Target and at Marshall.com.

Sonos

Sonos Move

$379.05

Sonos Move lives up to the hype! With 10 hours of play time, this mobile speaker will make you want to dance for hours on end. Apart from outstanding sound quality and deep bass, the Bluetooth speaker has a built-in handle for easy mobility, which means it’s perfect for a party or other gatherings (and solo listening sessions). And its IP56 rating means that it can withstand humidity, rain, snow, dust, salt spray, UV rays, extreme heat and cold weather. The Sonos Move stands about 9.5-inches tall and weighs around six pounds. For more options from Sonos, check out the Sonos Roam and the Sonos One SL, both of which retail for less than $200.

Klipsch

Klipsch R-51M Bookshelf Speakers

$349

Klipsch is another star in the realm of premium-quality sound. For music lovers who have the square footage to build a robust sound system, Klipsch offers everything from floor standing speakers to bookshelf speakers, computer speakers, home theater speakers, sound bars and subwoofers. Not sure where to start? The R-51M Bookshelf Speakers are perfect for blasting your favorite tunes. This dynamic speaker duo offers powerful sound, booming bass and award-wining acoustics courtesy of Tractrix horn technology, which mimics the sound, precision and emotion of a live concert. These 13.3-inch speakers are equipped with one-inch titanium dome tweeters, 5.25-inch copper woofers and a removable magnetic grill.


Amazon

Sony SRS-XG500 Bluetooth Speaker

$399.99 $499.99 20% off% OFF

Sony’s SRS-XG500 Bluetooth speaker is a nice investment if you’re looking for a boombox-style design. An alternative to the JBL Boombox 2 ($499.95), the SRS-XG500 delivers amazingly crisp sound thanks to Sony’s uniquely designed X-Balance speakers that pump out thumping, room-shaking bass. The battery delivers up to 30 hours of play time to keep the party moving all night long (literally). The speaker weighs about 12 pounds, but there’s a built-in handle that makes it easy to carry around, and LED ring lighting for added flair. Sony’s SRS-XG500 speakers are IP66-certified water-and dust-resistant. And it’s on sale at Best Buy.

Amazon

Polk Audio Signature Elite ES260 Tower Speaker

$449 $549

A tower speaker that blends in, and stands out. Polk Audio’s Elite Signature ES60 provides an enveloping, true-to-life sound experience that’s especially useful for Apple Music, Tidal, Amazon Music, Spotify and other streaming platforms. The floor-standing loudspeaker provides crystal-clear, hi-resolution sound with bass so incredible you might be able to feel it.

The speaker is powered by Polk’s Patented Power Port Bass Enhancing Technology, which expands the overall bass port to provide a larger surface area for distortion-free, louder bass impact. The sleek ES60 features 1-inch High-Resolution Terylene Tweeters, 2.5-way cascading crossovers and a trio of 6.5-inch Mica-Fortified Polypropylene Woofers. Speakers in Polk Audio’s Signature Elite Series are designed with quality, timbre-matched components that let you seamlessly mix and match models to build the sound system of your dreams. This speaker is on sale at Amazon, Crutchfield and PolkAudio.com.

Amazon

Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Wireless Music System with Apple AirPlay 2 and Bluetooth (Midnight Grey)

$799.00

Want to splurge? The Zeppelin is a wireless smart speaker that has been modified for the streaming age by way of a built-in, upgradable platform so that the technology always stays up to date. Bowers & Wilkinson’s football-shaped speaker features five carefully positioned premium drive units, 1-inch tweeters, 3.5-inch midranges with FST (Fixed Suspension Transducers) and dedicated drivers.

The Zeppelin has a total output of 240 watts, a six-inch subwoofer and five amplification channels for all designed to give you powerful, hi-resolution stereo sound. The Alexa-equipped speaker gives users instant access to music playlists, radio podcasts and other content in up to 24-bit, high-resolution quality. Zeppelin can also stream Apple Airplay 2, Bluetooth aptX adaptive, Spotify Connect and the Bowers & Wilkson app.

Amazon

Bang & Olufsen Beosound Level Portable Wi-Fi Multiroom Speaker, Natural Aluminum/Dark Grey

$1,599.00

If you have an even large speaker budget, Bang & Olufsen makes some of the best, higher-end, hi-fidelity speakers on the market. While the more expensive designs can cost over $10,000, the Beosound Level Portable Wifi Speaker is one of the cheapest, sleekest and most popular speakers from Bang & Olufsen. This beautiful, minimalist speaker has a five-driver setup for immersive, full-range sound that adapts to its environment. Lay it on its back, sit it up straight, or hang it on the wall for hypnotic sound experience with potent bass and unmatched sound clarity. This dynamic speaker weighs about 7 pounds (it measures 34.8 inches x 23 inches) and offers up to 16 hours of battery life. The Beosound Level Portable Wifi Speaker is available in natural dark gray, or a glitzy gold tone with light oak.

27 Jan 2023

Here’s Why Swifties Think Taylor Swift Is Teasing ‘Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)‘ in the ’Lavender Haze‘ Music Video

There’s something fishy about Taylor Swift‘s new music video … but Swifties are already on the case. After noticing that koi fish were featured heavily throughout the pop star’s “Lavender Haze” visual, which dropped Friday (Jan. 27), fans were able to tie the random (or maybe, not so random) aquatic animal back to an iconic guitar she used during her 2011 Speak Now tour, a connection they interpreted as a clue that Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) is on its way.

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In the new video, Swift at one point reaches into a TV screen and discovers that it’s some sort of portal, revealing a space-like alternate dimension where spotted koi fish swim through the stars. The final shot of the video features the musician sitting on a cloud in that same alternate dimension, the koi fish swimming majestically around her.

As many eagle-eyed Swifties were able to point out almost immediately, these fish look the same as the ones printed on the neck of a fan-favorite blue acoustic guitar that Swift used during the Speak Now Tour. You may also recognize that exact guitar as the one Swift was filmed smashing on the floor in her October music video for “Anti-Hero,” Midnights‘ No. 1 lead single.

Fans’ natural conclusion, of course, was that Swift is majorly hinting that her next music release will be Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), aka a rerecorded, rereleased version of her 2010 album Speak Now. It would mark the 11-time Grammy winner’s third “Taylor’s Version” release of the six she has planned, following Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and Red (Taylor’s Version).

This isn’t the first time Swift has appeared to tease Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) via Easter eggs in a Midnights music video, however. In her October visual for “Bejeweled,” the singer included a shot of different-colored elevator buttons, prompting fans to conclude that each button represented a different album in Swift’s catalog. In the video, she ends up pressing a button that’s purple — aka, the color heavily associated with the Speak Now album, largely thanks to the purple gown a young Swift sports on the cover art.

With that in mind, it’s also worth noting that the “Lavender Haze” music video is packed with violet-tinted visuals, from Swift bathing in purple water, to a bedroom filled with lilac-colored smoke. This makes sense, of course, for a song with “lavender” in the title, but some Swifties think that the purple overload has a double meaning.

“Lavender haze being the last Midnights single with a purple music video is perfect actually cause it’s simultaneously a silly little easter egg for speak now and also acts as a bridge from this era to speak now,” tweeted one such fan.

Other small “Lavender Haze” video details that might be Easter eggs in disguise include a couple No. 13s displayed on a weather map at the 1:42 mark. There’s also a stray vinyl casing shown at the beginning of the video labeled “Mastermind” (could that be the next single off Midnights?), with boyfriend Joe Alwyn’s astrological sign — Pisces — printed on the cover.

See which possible clues you can detect in Taylor Swift’s “Lavender Haze” music video by watching it below:

27 Jan 2023

Amber Rose Says She Wants To Be “Single” For The Rest Of Her Life

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Celebrity Sightings In Los Angeles - February 20, 2022

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After years of publicity dating celebrities such as Kanye West, Wiz Khalifa and 21 Savage, Amber Rose seems like she’s done with being in relationships. The mother of two is leaning towards being a single woman, for the rest of her life.

Page Six is reporting that the 39-year-old bombshell has had enough of the dating scene and in an interview on the Sofia With An F podcast Amber Rose publicly declared that “I want to be single for the rest of my life.”

Word?! The organizer of the Slut Walk further elaborated on her surprising declaration:

“I don’t want to share my house or my life with anyone. I don’t want anyone around my kids. I don’t want to have sex … No, ew… I’m fine with being by myself too. I’m very happy to not share my bed with anyone,” she added.

Don’t be surprised if many men out there take that as a personal challenge somehow.

We understand how a woman who’s built her own life and career wouldn’t want to share her home with anyone other than her kids, but to quit the dating scene at such a young age? We’re lowkey surprised. But then again, she’s probably grown tired of the games people play and the way social media scrutinizes her every waking move.

After a very public split from a then somewhat stable Kanye West in 2010, Amber Rose ended up marrying rapper Wiz Khalifa in 2013 with whom she shares a son, Sebastian. Unfortunately, just a year later the couple divorced citing “irreconcilable differences” as the cause for the split. But ultimately it was Wiz’s infidelity that put the kibosh on their wedded bliss.

“My ex-husband cheated on me,” she said on the podcast. “We were married, we were young.”

There’s only so much someone can put up with before just throwing in the towel and going solo for the rest of their lives. That being said, we wouldn’t be surprised if Amber Rose eventually ends up in a new high-profile relationship. Like we said, some men out there will take her statement as a personal challenge and will try to woo her off her feet. Whether or not she lets her walls down and lets someone new into her life is ultimately up to her.

What do y’all think about Amber Rose wanting to be single for the rest of her life? Let us know in the comments section below.

27 Jan 2023

Pamela Anderson Realized Kid Rock Was a Bad Match ‘Right When I Got Married’

Not a match made in heaven. Pamela Anderson looked back on her brief marriage to Kid Rock in a new interview on Thursday (Jan. 26).

Appearing on The Howard Stern Show to promote her upcoming memoir, Love, Pamela, the Baywatch star compared her relationship with the rocker to her first marriage to Tommy Lee. “I don’t think I ever gave myself a chance to have another relationship after that that was of any value,” she said of her high-profile romance with Mötley Crüe drummer. “You know, it was more like trying to put a family unit back together, but I wasn’t really in love — I just was going through the motions and then realizing, ‘I have nothing in common with this person.’

“I was putting people in my life to kind of numb some of the pain or be with someone. — companionship, but nothing … nothing healthy,” she continued before host Howard Stern asked point blank when she knew her marriage to Rock — which lasted for four months in 2006 — was a “tremendous f–king mistake.”

“Right when I got married,” Anderson replied with a laugh. “Well, just after. Obviously not in time. That’s terrible, I know it’s embarrassing, it’s just a flaw, I don’t know. Like, I just jump into something because, you know, Tommy and I did and we had this, you know, incredible connection. But then you jump into something and it’s like, ‘Oh it’s not this incredible connection, it’s this, just … something else.’ Then I slowly try and find my way out.”

Following her divorce from Rock, the actress married poker player Rick Salomon (twice!), film producer John Peters and, most recently, her bodyguard Dan Hayhurst.

Anderson’s memoir is set to hit shelves on Tuesday (Jan. 31). Watch her full chat with Stern below.

27 Jan 2023

Zach Bryan Breaks Record for Most Weeks Spent at No. 1 on Country Songwriters Chart

Zach Bryan spends a 32nd week at No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Songwriters chart (dated Jan. 28), surpassing Ashley Gorley for the most weeks spent on top since the chart launched in June 2019.

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Bryan, who has ruled for 24 consecutive weeks, breaks the record on the strength of four writing credits on the Hot Country Songs chart, led by his breakthrough single “Something in the Orange.” The track logs a fourth week at No. 1 on Hot Country Songs, after reaching the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart dated Jan. 21 (it stands at No. 13 on the latest chart).

The other tracks contributing to Bryan’s Country Songwriters reign are “Burn, Burn, Burn” (No. 29), “Sun to Me” (No. 32) and “The Good I’ll Do” (No. 42). Bryan has sole songwriting credit on all four of his charting hits, helping boost his chart points on Country Songwriters.

Here’s an updated look at the artists with the most weeks spent at No. 1 on Country Songwriters.

Most Weeks at No. 1 on Country Songwriters:

  • 32, Zach Bryan
  • 31, Ashley Gorley
  • 18, Blanco Brown
  • 15, Luke Combs
  • 14, Morgan Wallen
  • 13, Taylor Swift
  • 10, Josh Thompson
  • 9, HARDY
  • 8, Josh Jenkins
  • 7, Josh Osborne
  • 5, Laura Veltz

Bryan concurrently spends a 21st week at No. 1 on Rock & Alternative Songwriters, tying Twenty One Pilots’ Tyler Joseph for the second-most weeks spent on top (after Glass Animals frontman Dave Bayley’s 50), and a 19th week at No. 1 on Rock Songwriters, extending his record for the most weeks at the summit.

On Billboard’s Country Producers chart, Joey Moi continues his record run, as he logs a 92nd week at No. 1. He leads on the strength of seven production credits on Hot Country Songs, via Morgan Wallen’s “You Proof” (No. 3), “Thought You Should Know” (No. 6), “Wasted on You” (No. 8), “One Thing at a Time” (No. 19), “Tennessee Fan” (No. 23) and “Days That End in Why” (No. 40); and HARDY’s “Wait in the Truck,” featuring Lainey Wilson (No. 9).

The weekly Country Songwriters and Country Producers charts are based on total points accrued by a songwriter and producer, respectively, for each attributed song that appears on the Hot Country Songs chart. As with Billboard’s yearly recaps, multiple writers or producers split points for each song equally (and the dividing of points will lead to occasional ties on rankings).

The full Country Songwriters and Country Producers charts, in addition to the full genre rankings, can be found on Billboard.com.

27 Jan 2023

Beyoncé, Beck, Frank Sinatra & the Phenomenon of ‘Make-Up’ Grammys

Though Beyoncé’s Renaissance was unanimously acclaimed and commercially successful, if it wins album of the year at the 65th annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 5 — as many observers (including me) expect — it will be at least in part because her previous studio album, Lemonade, was passed over in that category.

If you watched the 59th annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 12, 2017, you doubtless remember the moment when Adele’s 25 prevailed over Lemonade. In her acceptance speech, a highly emotional Adele all but handed the Grammy to Beyoncé, who was standing in the front row with her husband, Jay-Z, as the audience rose to its feet to celebrate Adele’s win. Adele’s speech stands as one of the most selfless and gracious in awards show history.

After some introductory thanks, Adele addressed the issue of competing with a friend and an artist she greatly admires. “I can’t possibly accept this award and I’m very humbled and I’m very grateful and gracious, but my artist of my life is Beyoncé and this album to me – the Lemonade album – was so monumental.”

Addressing the singer directly, she continued: “Beyoncé, it was just so monumental and so well thought-out and so beautiful and soul-baring and we all got to see another side to you that you don’t always let us see, and we appreciate that. And all us artists here, we f–king adore you. You are our light. And the way that you make me and my friends feel – the way you make my Black friends feel – is empowering. And you make them stand up for themselves and I love you. I always have and I always will.”

While no one questions Adele’s talent, some wondered if it was fair that Adele won a second award in that category before Beyoncé won it even once. (I Am…Sasha Fierce had lost to Taylor Swift’s Fearless; Beyoncé had lost to Beck’s Morning Phase.)

Of course, it isn’t Adele’s “fault” that she won. Still, an impression remains that Beyoncé was wronged – and that Grammy voters have a chance to make it right this year.

Renaissance wouldn’t be the first album to win album of the year at least in part as a “make-up” award for a previous album or albums that had not been so awarded. Take a look at this list, shown in reverse chronological order. (All years shown are the Grammy year of record.)

27 Jan 2023

Katy Perry, Billy Porter & More Set to Perform on ‘Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love’

Katy Perry, Billy Porter, Kristin Chenoweth, Bernadette Peters and Jane Lynch are among the stars who are set to perform on an NBC special, Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love. The two-hour special, to be filmed at Avalon Hollywood in Los Angeles, is set to air on Wednesday, April 26 – the actual date of Carol Burnett’s 90th birthday — at 8 p.m. ET/PT. It will also stream the next day on Peacock.

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Perry has shown a flair for comedy in some of her music videos, such as “California Gurls,” that suggests Burnett’s influence. The photo here, from her Katy Perry: PLAY Las Vegas Residency, also shows Burnett’s anything-for-a-laugh ethos.

Special guests on the show include a mix of longtime colleagues such as Julie Andrews, with whom she taped three TV specials, and Vicki Lawrence and costume designer Bob Mackie from The Carol Burnett Show, and comedy stars from a younger generation, including Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig. Steve Carell and Tracee Ellis Ross.

Also set to appear on the show: Aileen Quinn, Cher, Ellen DeGeneres, Laura Dern, Lily Tomlin, Marisa Tomei, Sofia Vergara and Susan Lucci.

“I’m so excited NBC decided to throw me a birthday party and invited all of my closest friends,” Burnett said in a statement. “I can’t wait to look back at so many wonderful moments throughout my career. I feel so lucky to share this night with everyone.”

“It’s hard to imagine anyone in television more beloved than Carol Burnett,” said Jen Neal, executive vice president, live events and specials, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. “To throw this wonderful birthday celebration is clearly our honor, and we can’t wait to share the love that we all have for her with all her adoring fans.”

NBC aired a similar special on the occasion of fellow comedy legend (and frequent Burnett co-star) Betty White’s 90th birthday. The show, Betty White’s 90th Birthday: A Tribute to America’s Golden Girl, received two Emmy nominations in 2012, including outstanding variety special.

The musical tributes on the special will include Stephen Sondheim’s “Old Friends,” dedicated to Burnett’s six-decade friendship with Andrews; “Only an Octave Apart,” which Burnett sang alongside opera star Beverly Sills on the 1976 television special Sills and Burnett at the Met; Burnett’s songs from the 1982 film Annie; and a tribute to her famous theme song, “I’m So Glad We Had This Time Together” from The Carol Burnett Show. The song, which was pitch-perfect for Burnett’s voice and persona, was written by Joe Hamilton, her ex-husband and the show’s producer.

The special will share memorable moments from Burnett’s career, including her Broadway debut in Once Upon a Mattress (her first Tony nomination), her work as a regular on The Garry Moore Show (her first Emmy Award), her hit films — The Four Seasons, A Wedding, Pete ‘n’ Tillie and Annie — and of course The Carol Burnett Show (three Emmys for outstanding comedy-variety or music series).

Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love is executive produced by Burnett; her husband, Brian Miller; Steve Sauer, Paul Miller and Baz Halpin, and Mark Bracco & Linda Gierahn of Silent House Productions.

Though Burnett made her mark in comedy, she has sung throughout her career. She put two albums on the Billboard 200 – Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall, an album from her first TV special with fellow legend Andrews, and Carol Burnett Featuring If I Could Write a Song, a 1972 studio album. She has also been featured on other Billboard 200-charting albums, including the original cast albums to Fade Out – Fade In and Follies in Concert, and the film soundtrack to Annie.

Burnett’s many awards include six Emmys, a special (non-competitive) Tony Award in 1969 and a Grammy for the audiobook of In Such Good Company: Eleven Years of Laughter, Mayhem, and Fun in the Sandbox, which won six years ago for best spoken word album.

In 1985, she became the second woman inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame – her pal Lucille Ball was (fittingly) the first. In 2003, Burnett received the Kennedy Center Honors; in 2005, the Presidential Medal of Freedom; in 2013, the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor; and in 2015, the Screen Actors Guild’s life achievement award.

In 2019, she was the first recipient of the Carol Burnett Award, honoring achievements in television, at the Golden Globes. The award has since been presented to DeGeneres, Norman Lear and Ryan Murphy.