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Rob Reiner is ready to turn it up to 11 again. The writer/director revealed on the RHLSTP with Richard Herring podcast this week that he will revisit one of his most iconic projects when he gets the band back together next year for a sequel to his legendary rock mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap.
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The beloved 1984 film that skewered all things rock is slated to begin filming in February with original stars/writers Christopher Guest (Nigel Tufnel), Michael McKean (David St. Hubbins) and Harry Shearer (Derek Smalls) repriseing their roles as the hapless metal band who once lost a drummer in a “bizarre gardening accident.”
Reiner said he will revisit his role as documentarian Martin “Marty” Di Bergi, telling Herring, “We’re making a sequel… everybody’s back.” Like the original — which featured cameos from Ed Begley Jr., Fran Drescher, Dana Carvey, Billy Crystal, Angelica Huston and Fred Willard — the reboot will feature some even heavier hitters making cameos, including Paul McCartney, Elton John and Garth Brooks, plus a “few other surprises.”
The original found Reiner filming a documentary on one of “England’s loudest bands,” in a film in which most of the dialogue was improvised, with some of the iconic catchphrases — including “turn it up to 11” — becoming part of modern rock parlance; not for nothing, radios in Teslas go to 11.
It follows the self-important rockers on a 1982 U.S. tour to promote their Smell the Glove album, which some retailers refuse to stock because of its sexist cover image. Along the way there is a scheming astrology-obsessed girlfriend, a ill-fated, accidentally, hilariously tiny Stonehenge stage prop and a classic scene where the band loses their way to stage that was inspired by a real-life video of Tom Petty getting mixed up backstage at a show in Germany.
The accompanying soundtrack album featured such ridiculously over-the-top metal anthems as “Hell Hole,” “Tonight I’m Gonna Rock You Tonight,” “Big Bottom” and early hit “Gimme Some Money,” all performed by the movie’s stars.
Though the film did modest box office at the time, it has since blossomed into a midnight movie must-see, even making it onto the Library of Congress’ list of culturally significant artifacts. “No, we never did,” Reiner said of whether he thought the comedy would have such long legs and garner such accolades as the Library honor and making the list of movies worth preserving from the National Film Registry.
In essentially creating the rock mockumentary genre, Reiner recalled screening the film in Dallas and having confused theatergoers coming up to him after and asking, “I don’t understand, why would you make a movie about a band that nobody’s ever heard of? And they’re so bad!”
In an interview with Deadline last year, Reiner hinted at the direction of the sequel. “I can tell you hardly a day goes by without someone saying, ‘why don’t you do another one?,’” Reiner said of the idea to revisit the film for its 40th anniversary. “For so many years, we said, ‘nah.’ It wasn’t until we came up with the right idea how to do this. You don’t want to just do it, to do it. You want to honor the first one and push it a little further with the story.”
At the time, Reiner said the second Tap would follow the band after a long break. “They’ve played Albert Hall, played Wembley Stadium, all over the country and in Europe,” Reiner said. “They haven’t spent any time together recently, and that became the premise. The idea was that Ian Faith, who was their manager, he passed away. In reality, [actor] Tony Hendra passed away. Ian’s widow inherited a contract that said Spinal Tap owed them one more concert. She was basically going to sue them if they didn’t. All these years and a lot of bad blood we’ll get into and they’re thrown back together and forced to deal with each other and play this concert.”
Listen to Reiner talk Spinal Tap sequel here (movie talk begins around 2:00 mark).
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour concert movie has crossed the $250 million mark in worldwide ticket sales according to distributor AMC Theatres. The Hollywood Reporter said those impressive numbers mean the three-hour-plus musical extravaganza that has found Swifties singing and dancing in the aisles across the planet ranks among the top 20 biggest films of […]
She’s not old enough to vote, or drink booze, though Ruby Leigh can sing like a seasoned pro.
The 16-year-old closed out the Playoffs Monday night (Nov. 27) on The Voice with a performance that was mature beyond her years.
Leigh, a native of Foley, Missouri, was recruited to Team Reba following an impressive Blind Audition, when she covered Patsy Montana’s 1935 “I Want To Be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart.”
The youngster has mastered the art of yodeling, a talent that earned her a four-chair turn.
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Then, in the knockout rounds, Leigh punched her ticket with her own take on LeAnn Rimes’s 1996 breakthrough cover of Bill Mack’s “Blue.”
On the latest episode of this current, 24th season, Leigh shone with a version of Linda Ronstadt’s 1970 classic “Long Long Time.”
Dressed in an all-black ensemble, complete with white tassels, Leigh looks the part. And she sure sounds it. The yodel was a part of the mix, but never overused.
“I think that if there was just a young girl that’s 16 years old that can sing like you and could make a record like that, the world would be saved,” Gwen Stefani later enthused.
John Legend, like his fellow judges, has been a fan since day nought. “It’s quite stunning that, at your age, you can sound like you’ve been through so much. I know you haven’t been through that much,” Legend explained. “The power of your voice is really stunning.”
Niall Horan chimed in, “that was so beautiful. I’m really, really emotional.”
Coach Reba McEntire was proud as punch. “I would watch mama when I would be on stage, and she would be drawn up in a knot watching me,” she remarked. “Nobody wanted to sit by mama because she was squeezing their hand so tight. I know how she feels now. You just got it all together. I’m just so proud of you, and your performance today was stellar.”
With that performance, Leigh progresses into the Live round, alongside Team Reba’s Jordan Rainer and Jacquie Roar.
The Voice’s Live shows kick off next Monday, Dec. 4 on NBC.
Watch below.
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Amazon has the Fitbit Inspire 3 on sale as part of a Cyber Monday deal. Regularly $99.95, the Fitbit sale brings the price down to just $69.95 for a limited time.
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This is the cheapest price we’ve spotted online for this Fitbit and its lowest price in 30 days at Amazon. Released last year, the stylish fitness tracker that combines the look of a modern bracelet with the functionality of a smart watch.
Fitbit Inspire 3 Health &-Fitness-Tracker with Stress Management, Workout Intensity, Sleep Tracking, 24/7 Heart Rate & More
$69.95
$99.95
30% off
The Cyber Monday deal gets you the Fitbit Inspire 3 for $69.99 or Fitbit Inspire 6 for $99.95. Both are available in your choice of three colors including black, lilac and morning glow for Fitbit 3 and black, gold and silver for Fitbit 6.
The slim, jewelry-like band keeps track of your steps, heart rate, breathing rate and other exercise metrics, and can even help you estimate your calorie burn, depending on the workout you’re doing. Going on a run? Pair the Fitbit to your phone’s GPS to track your pacing and route.
We also like all the health and wellness features of the Fitbit 3 and Fitbit 6, including the ability to track your sleep and give you a “Sleep Score” in the accompanying Fitbit app. You can also track your daily “Stress Management” levels, and use your watch for guided breathing and mindfulness exercises through the Fitbit app.
Program the fitness tracker’s settings and alerts to set goals for yourself, whether you’re going on a run or hitting the gym. You can also send the Fitbit to push a gentle buzz when you reach your target heart rate zones.
A single charge gets you up to 10 days of battery life. The slim and sleek design, meantime, is a welcome change from all the bulky and chunky smartwatch models on the market.
Fitbit Charge 6 Fitness Tracker with Google apps, Heart Rate on Exercise Equipment, 6-Months Premium Membership Included, GPS & More
$99.95
$159.95
38% off
This is one of the best Fitbit deals online, and the price includes the chic activity tracker, a lithium-ion battery and a six-month free trial to Fitbit Premium, which gets you everything from detailed monitoring metrics to health tips and guided, on-demand workouts.
Regularly $159.95+, this Amazon deal gets you the Fitbit 6 for just $99.95. See full details here.
Want something cheaper? The cheapest Fitbit Cyber Monday deal is at Walmart, where you can get the Fitbit Inspire 2 for $65.12. That’s a nearly $20 discount from its regular price of $83.42. This is a more basic fitness tracker compared to the newer Fitbit but if you just need regular exercise and sleep tracking (along with built-in GPS), this is a great deal to pick up.
For more sales, check out our list of Cyber Monday deals under $20 and a list of retailers and sites to shop for Cyber week.
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. The holiday season is officially here, and with it comes hunting for special gifts for everyone on your list. Cyber Monday […]
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. Cyber Monday marks one of the last days ahead of the holiday season when you can take advantage of major savings […]
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.
As Taylor Swift would say, “‘Tis the damn season,” and for some of us, the holiday season officially begins once the iconic Rockefeller Center Christmas tree is lit.
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Rockefeller Center will be hosting its 91st annual lighting ceremony is on Wednesday (Nov. 29) at 8 p.m. ET. Whether you’ve snagged travel deals to see it in person or plan to watch it from the comfort of your couch, the 2023 Christmas tree lighting ceremony is bound to get you in the holiday spirit with the help of a slew of guests and musical performances.
This year, popstar and talk show host Kelly Clarkson will be hosting the tree lighting ceremony with appearances from Today‘s Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Al Roker and Craig Melvin. You can also expect musical performances from Clarkson as well as Chloe Bailey, Adam Blackstone, Cher, David Foster, Liz Gillies, Darlene Love, Seth MacFarlane, Barry Manilow, Katharine McPhee, Keke Palmer, Carly Pearce, Manuel Turizo, Radio City Rockettes and more.
If you want to join in on the festive fun (from the comfort of your own home, not the Big Apple), we’ve compiled everything you need to know to watch the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony online and on TV for free.
Check below for the streaming options available.
How to Watch the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony 2023 on NBC & Peacock
The ceremony will air on Wednesday (Nov. 29) at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. If you have cable, you can watch the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony on TV through your local NBC affiliate — just check your cable provider’s channel guide to find your local NBC channel. Don’t have cable? You may be able to watch the tree lighting ceremony for free with an HD antenna like this one here from Amazon.
Cable cutters can also use NBC’s official streaming platform, Peacock, which will be live streaming the ceremony. Already have Peacock? You can watch the ceremony for no additional cost by logging into your account and going to live TV.
Don’t have a subscription? Peacock is currently slashing its monthly and annual plans to $1.99/month (reg. $5.99/month) or $19.99 for the year (reg. $59.99/year) for 12 months. To redeem the offers use the promo code BIGDEAL for the monthly plan or YEARLONG for the annual plan. The offer ends at midnight Monday (Nov. 27), so don’t wait too long! Click here or the button below to sign up for Peacock.
Besides the 2023 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, a Peacock subscription will give you access to the entire Peacock library including exclusive and original TV series, movies, sports and more such as Bupkis, Mrs. Davis, Poker Face, Bel-Air, Poker Face, Yellowstone and Based on a True Story. You’ll also be able to watch NBC and Bravo programs like the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Saturday Night Live, Parks & Recreation, The Office, Vanderpump Rules and more.
Additional Ways to Watch Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony 2023 for Free
Looking for more money-saving options? Live TV streamers are offering free trials and promos that can save you even more without having to pay hundreds of dollars on cable each month.
FuboTV offers a seven day free trial, which means you can watch the tree lighting ceremony and more for free. You can also take advantage of $20 off each plan for the first two months. Plans start as low as $55/month and include over 100 channels, DVR storage and more. Once your free trial and promo are over, you’ll pay the regular subscription price based on the plan you choose. Click here or below to launch your free trial.
Hulu + Live TV comes with a 30-day free trial and gives you the most content options as you’ll not only have access to the NBC channel as well as many more live TV channels, but also the entire Hulu library. You can also bundle it with Disney+ and ESPN+ for even more programs to watch. Once your free trial is over, you’ll be charged the normal subscription fee of $77/month. Click here or below to launch your free trial.
SlingTV is also offering 50% off its plans for the first month and a free Amazon Fire TV Sick Lite when you sign up. The Blue plan includes NBC and its affiliated channels for $20 for the first two months (reg. $40) and will give you access to DVR storage, the ability to stream on up to three devices at once and more. You can expand your channel offerings by combining the Blue and Orange plans for even more content for only $27.50 (reg. $55). Click here or the button below to sign up.
Howard Stern revealed on Monday morning (Nov. 27) that he almost had a role in Bradley Cooper‘s hit A Star Is Born remake. The old friends got together to discuss Cooper’s new Leonard Bernstein biopic, Maestro, but talk soon turned to Stern’s fascination with Cooper’s singing in the 2018 Oscar-winning film in which the actor co-starred with Lady Gaga.
Cooper has become a regular on Stern’s SiriusXM show — with both now saying that they are also friends off the air as well — which might explain why Howard spent several minutes berating Cooper for not going out on the road for a proper tour in support of Star while further heaping praise on his friend’s singing ability.
“It’s really good,” Stern said of the Star film’s music, which included the hit “Shallow.”
The notoriously picky Stern — whose first, and so far only, starring role in film is as himself in the beloved 1997 biopic Private Parts — said that he’s only told a handful of people in his private life about the Star offer from Cooper. “And they look at me like, ‘what the f–k?! You didn’t do it?’,” Stern said of the role that Cooper clarified was eventually written specifically for the person who ended up playing the part.
“This was early-early things swimming in my head when I offered it to you,” Cooper said of his initial thought of including Stern in the mix on the film that also featured Sam Elliott, Anthony Ramos and Andrew “Dice” Clay. Stern said the initial offer was for him to play the brother of Cooper’s troubled singer, Jackson Maine.
“And I went, ‘whoa! You must think I’m a lot better looking than’… they’re gonna be like… what is this movie gonna be like Twins?’ I’m Danny DeVito and he’s Arnold Schwarzenegger?,” Stern joked. The plan was for Stern to play Maine’s older brother/manager, a role Stern said he found intriguing. “I said I’m going to go full-on into it. I’m gonna shave my head, I’m gonna change my whole look,” Stern recalled thinking of what would have been the unthinkable method actor act of buzzing off his signature flowing curly hair.
Cooper said the radio veteran –who often spends large segments of his SiriusXM show lamenting anything and everything he has to do that does not concern the broadcast — did not, as longtime fans might expect, immediately turn down the offer. “You really contemplated this,” Cooper said of the three weeks he waited around for Stern’s answer.
“Man, I would have won him an Oscar too!” Stern joked about the awards that would have surely rolled in thanks to his participation; the film scored eight Oscar nominations and won best original song for “Shallow.”
“But when we started talking about you shaving your head that was very exciting,” Cooper said of the role that was then reworked to fit veteran actor Sam Elliott, who played Cooper’s cantankerous older half-brother/manager Bobby Maine. “Oh it would have been amazing.” And though it did not end up coming together, Cooper said he’s confident he will eventually find the right project to lure Stern back to the big screen.
Cooper is currently out promoting Maestro, a six-years-in-the-making biopic depicting the relationship between American composer Leonard Bernstein and wife Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan).
Marty Krofft, the TV producer known for imaginative children’s shows such as H.R. Pufnstuf and primetime hits including Donny & Marie in the 1970s, has died in Los Angeles, his publicist said. Krofft was 86.
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He died Saturday (Nov. 25) of kidney failure, publicist Harlan Boll said.
Krofft and his brother Sid were puppeteers who broke into television and ended up getting stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Along the way, they brought a trippy sensibility to children’s TV and brought singing siblings Donny and Marie Osmond and Barbara Mandrell and her sisters to primetime.
The Osmonds’ clean-cut variety show, featuring television’s youngest-ever hosts at the time, became a lasting piece of ‘70s cultural memorabilia, rebooted as a daytime talk show in the 1990s and a Broadway Christmas show in 2010. The Kroffts followed up with Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters, centered on the country music star; it ran from 1980-82.
“I am so saddened by the passing of my dear friend, Marty Krofft,” Donny Osmond wrote Sunday in a statement posted on social media. “He and his brother, Sid, created the whole format of The Donny and Marie show. Together, they put my sister and me on the map and both of us will be forever grateful for their vision and creativity. Marty Krofft’s television legacy is incredible. His fingerprint is on generations of entertainment and the impact he’s had in connecting people around the world is an astonishing legacy he leaves behind. Our best wishes and love go out to his family and loved ones. As Marie and I sang at the end of every show, ‘May God keep you in His tender care, ’till He brings us together again.’”
Like the Osmonds, H.R. Pufnstuf proved to have pop culture staying power. Despite totaling just 17 episodes, the surreal show, featuring an island, a witch, a talking flute, a shipwrecked boy and a redheaded, cowboy boot-wearing dragon, came in 27th in a 2007 TV Guide poll ranking of all-time cult favorites.
More than 45 years after the show’s 1969 debut, the title character graced an episode of another Krofft brothers success, Mutt & Stuff, which ran for multiple seasons on Nickelodeon.
“To make another hit at this time in our lives, I’ve got to give ourselves a pat on the back,” Marty Krofft told The Associated Press ahead of the episode’s taping in 2015.
Even then, he was still contending with another of the enduring features of H.R. Pufnstuf — speculation that it, well, betokened a certain ‘60s commitment to altering consciousness. Krofft rebuffed that notion: “If we did the drugs everybody thought we did, we’d be dead today,” he said, adding, “You cannot work stoned.”
Born in Montreal on April 9, 1937, Krofft got into entertainment via puppetry. He and his brother Sid put together a risqué, cabaret-inspired puppet show called Les Poupées de Paris in 1960, and its traveling success led to jobs creating puppet shows for amusement parks. The Kroffts eventually opened their own, the short-lived World of Sid & Marty Krofft, in Atlanta in the 1970s.
They first made their mark in television with H.R. Pufnstuf, which spawned the 1970 feature film Pufnstuf. Many more shows for various audiences followed, including Land of the Lost; Electra Woman and Dyna Girl; Pryor’s Place, with comedian Richard Pryor; and D.C. Follies, in which puppets gave a satirical take on politics and the news.
The pair were honored with a Daytime Emmy for lifetime achievement in 2018. They got their Walk of Fame star two years later.
Sid Krofft said on Instagram that he was heartbroken by his younger brother’s death, telling fans, “All of you meant the world to him.”
While other producers might have contented themselves with their achievements far earlier, Marty Krofft indicated to The AP in 2015 that he no had interest in stepping back from show business.
“What am I gonna do — retire and watch daytime television and be dead in a month?” he asked.
Tiffany Haddish was arrested Friday (Nov. 24) and charged with driving under the influence, police said. The actor and comedian was detained after Beverly Hills police received a call about 5:45 a.m. Police said she appeared to be found slumped over the wheel of the vehicle while the car engine was still running. Haddish, an Emmy and Grammy […]