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Selena Gomez Is Joining Food Network for 2 New Cooking Shows

Food Network announced its upcoming slate of new programming on Wednesday (May 17), including two new series starring Selena Gomez.

Later this year, the pop star will launch her first as-yet-untitled show, which will center around celebrations in the kitchen during the holidays. Then, in 2024, she’ll head out across America to visit some of the country’s most celebrated chefs “in a quest to cook their most popular dishes when she visits their kitchens.”

“The holidays are always huge for Food Network,” said Kathleen Finch, Warner Bros. Discovery’s chairman and CCO of US networks, in a statement. “And having Selena kicking off the nearly 100 hours of new and returning holiday programming will certainly make this coming season one to celebrate.”

Gomez’s foray into Food Network territory follows the success of her HBO Max series Selena + Chef, which has run for four seasons and featured episodes with culinary stars from Ludo Lefebvre and Padma Lakshmi to Kwame Onwuachi, Ayesha Curry, Gordon Ramsay and more. In late April, the show nabbed its first Daytime Emmy Award nomination in the outstanding culinary series category.

Earlier this month, “Calm Down,” the singer’s recent collab with Rema, reached new heights on its slow-burning journey up the charts by landing at No. 1 on the Pop Airplay chart — becoming the first to top both that tally and the U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart — as well as at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Meanwhile, Gomez is also headed back to Hulu later this summer when the third season of Only Murders in the Building premieres on Aug. 8.

Macaw Confesses They Were ‘Afraid to Show Myself’ on ‘The Masked Singer’ Finale: Exclusive

The Masked Singer season 9 finale is upon us, and Billboard has an exclusive first look at Macaw reflecting on their emotional journey throughout the competition.

“Tonight, honey, you showed us what you are made of,” judge Nicole Scherzinger raves following one of the masked contestant’s finale performances. “You always pull at our heartstrings, you give us the feels, but tonight you hunkered down and you said, ‘Naw, it ain’t over with yet, baby! I’m comin’ for you!’”

With their speaking voice modulated to hide their identity, the Macaw replied, “I had a lot of anxiety before coming onto the show because I was afraid to show myself,” before their voice broke on the verge of tears.

“Take your time, take your time,” host Nick Cannon said, offering the singer a consoling arm while Macaw continued, “It’s been a difficult last couple of years and I’m truly humbled, so thank you.”

Throughout the season, Macaw has absolutely crushed covers of everything from Elton John’s “Your Song” and “Live Like You Were Dying” by Tim McGraw to Ed Sheeran’s “Photograph” and One Direction’s “What Makes You Beautiful.” In the finale, the colorful songbird faces off against Medusa for the season 9 crown after beating out the likes of California Roll (Pentatonix), UFO (Olivia Culpo), Fairy (Holly Robinson Peete) and Axolotl (professional wrestler Alexa Bliss).

Other celebs who’ve rounded out the latest season of the hit reality show include Lou Diamond Phillips as Mantis, Melissa Joan Hart as Lamp, Dee Snider as Doll, former Selling Sunset villain Christine Quinn, Lele Pons as Jackalope, Grandmaster Flash as Polar Bear, Debbie Gibson as Night Owl and more.

Watch Macaw’s emotional confession during The Masked Singer finale below.

Lea Michele Tests Positive For COVID, Sitting Out Broadway’s ‘Funny Girl’ For a Week

Lea Michele will have to take a week off from Broadway’s Funny Girl after testing positive for COVID again. The production announced on Instagram that the singer/actress will sit out the production through May 23, with Julie Benko playing the role of Fanny Brice until Michele is able to return; Ephie Aardema will step in for Friday’s (May 19) performance).

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“Unfortunately, Lea Michele has tested positive for COVID. She will be out of the show this week and will return on Tuesday, May 23,” read the Instagram post. This is the second time Michele has been forced to step aside after testing positive for COVID following a week of missed shows in September.

According to Deadline, despite veteran Benko’s solid reviews in the standby Brice role — first in April 2022 and then again in August following Beanie Feldstein’s leave-taking — the production typically experiences “steep declines” in box office when Michele is out for vacation or other reasons. It also reported that since Michele took over from Feldstein in the revival last fall, Funny Girl has been one of Broadway’s biggest earners, with the show grossing more than $1.6 million last week. The musical is slated to close on Broadway on Sept. 3.

Two days before the announcement, Michele pulled her son Ever out of the crowd during Sunday’s Mother’s Day performance during the curtain call and carried him around to greet some of her cast mates. In March, Michele revealed that the two-year-old was hospitalized due to an undisclosed health issue. At the time she took a one-night break from Funny Girl to be at the hospital due to Ever’s undisclosed “scary health issue.”

Check out the post announcing Michele’s absence.

There’s a BTS Biography Dropping This Summer: Here’s How You Can Pre-Order ‘Beyond the Story’

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The cat’s out of the bag. We finally know the identity of that mysterious book that hit No. 1 on Amazon without a title or a cover.

It turns out, the cryptic listing is a BTS biography that will be released this summer via Flatiron Books and Big Hit Music. Beyond the Story: 10-Year Record of BTS ($45) is described as an “oral history of the K-Pop group in South Korea and the United States,” according to The New York Times.

The book is written by BTS and journalist Kang Myeong-seok and translated into English by Anton Hur.

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Beyond the Story is on sale for $27 at Amazon and $29.99 for a Kindle version. Fans can pre-order the book online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble (it’s on sale for $39.99).

There’s not much else known about the release, beyond that it will include 544 pages and drops on July 9. The book was initially listed as “4C Untitled Flatiron Nonfiction Summer 2023” on Amazon.

The cryptic title was rumored to be a Taylor Swift memoir. Swifties took to social media to point out that 544 adds up to 13, which happens to be Swift’s favorite number and her birthdate. Swift’s fans also theorized that the July 9 release date might be a reference to her song “Last Kiss.”

But July 9 is also significant to BTS as this year’s ARMY Day will celebrate the fanbase’s 10th anniversary. As ARMY Day approaches, BTS fans can click here to pre-order a copy of Beyond the Storyor click the buy button featured above.

#BFFGoals: A Look At Martha Stewart And Snoop Dogg’s Friendship Timeline

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Caesars Entertainment Celebrates The Grand Opening Of The Bedford by Martha Stewart At Paris Las Vegas

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It’s been nearly 15 years since Snoop made an appearance on Martha Stewart’s cooking show in 2008 to make mashed potatoes. 

The next year, the Doggfather came back to The Martha Stewart Show to make brownies, and he joked with the lifestyle maven about the “most important part” of the recipe. 

The chemistry between the legendary rapper and the former fashion model turned lifestyle queen was instant, and they have been paired up in everything from television specials to commercials ever since. 

As Stewart is making headlines as the eldest model to grace the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue (and looking good, too) People magazine created a timeline to celebrate our favorite besties. 

2008: Snoop and Martha Meet on The Martha Stewart Show

“What an odd couple we were,” Stewart remarked years later during a 2019 NBC News interview about their first meeting. In that same interview, Snoop added that “cooking with Martha just seemed like the right space to be in.”

December 2009: Snoop Comes Back to Bake Brownies

The two joked about a missing ingredient that the audience all seemed to know about. They even made the brownies green for the “environment.” 

Over the next couple of years, the rapper would regularly tweet a picture of his infamous appearance on the show including on May 8, 2013 when he added, “Ayo @marthastewart watchu bakn !!” 

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‘Yellowstone’ Funko Pops Are Coming: How to Pre-Order the Vinyl Figures Online

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Make room! Yellowstone is getting its own line of Funko Pop! vinyl figures.

It’s no secret that Funko has made a name for itself by crafting the hottest TV shows, movies and even artists into collectible (and adorable) vinyl figurines. Now, you’ll have the opportunity to snag a Funko Pop! collectible of your favorite character from the hit series Yellowstone when they’re released on July 1.

Britney Spears Funko

From Britney Spears to Shania Twain: Here Are 10 Funko Pop Collectibles to Buy for Women’s…

How can you get your hands on the collection? The figurines range from $13-$15 each and are available for pre-order from Funko.com, Amazon and the Paramount Shop. No matter which Dutton family member you’re rooting for, you can preorder your favorite or collect them all — including this awesome Rip Wheeler Funko.

The collection features five different characters from the show, including John Dutton (Kevin Costner), Rip (Cole Hauser), Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly), Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes) and Monica Dutton (Kelsey Asbille). While country star Lainey Wilson‘s character may not be a figurine (for now), you can at least stream her chart-topping song from the show while building up your Yellowstone collection with these powerhouse characters.

Pre-order the Yellowstone Funko Pop! vinyl figures, and while you wait for their release, hop on the Yellowstone TikTok trend and binge the series on Peacock to hold you over until new episodes premiere later this year.

Amazon

Funko Pop! TV: Yellowstone – John Dutton

$12.99

Dust off those floating shelves and grab your nearest Pop! protector, John Dutton’s vinyl figure is ready to wrangle the top spot in your collection! Featuring his classic white cowboy hat and ranch-protecting ‘fit, this cowboy stands at around 4.65 inches tall and is ready to kick his boots up and watch the latest season with you.

Amazon

Funko Pop! TV: Yellowstone – Beth Dutton

$12.99

As one of the fiercest Dutton children, it makes sense that Beth’s Funko Pop! is sporting a vibrant, bright blue and Aztec-printed jacket and casual jeans. While her figurine stands 3.9 inches tall, her cutthroat personality, as demonstrated in the show, will only make her appear larger.

Paramount

Funko Pop! TV: Yellowstone – Rip Wheeler

$14.95

You can’t have Beth without her brooding love, Rip. Though his backstory is one of murder and pain, the longtime ranch foreman is a loyal cowboy who will infuse some edginess into your Funko Pop! collection.

Amazon

Funko Pop! TV: Yellowstone – Kayce Dutton

$12.99

Just because he’s the youngest of the Dutton siblings doesn’t mean Kayce’s figurine deserves the last spot on your mantle. His appearance may look casual as he sports a brown and gray hoodie with jeans, but it’s the black cowboy hat that shows he means business — both in his style and ability to swoop in and save the day.

Amazon

Funko Pop! TV: Yellowstone – Monica Dutton

$12.99

Finally, the last of the upcoming releases is Monica’s Pop! figure. True to her character, the figurine sports a colorful outfit with boots. While her relationship with Kayce could be seen as a cowboy version of Romeo and Juliet, it’s Monica’s strength and protection of her family that shines through.

6 Portable Phone Chargers for Quickly Juicing Up Your iPhone or Android at Music Concerts & More

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There’s nothing more panic inducing than seeing that “low battery” notification pop up on your iPhone or Android screen. Sure, when you’re at home, you can simply plug your device in and wait for it to recharge, but what about when you’re snapping pics at a concert?

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This is where a quality portable charger can step in and give you a quick, seamless charge without having to hunt for the nearest outlet. Whether you have an upcoming festival or concert to attend, these handy devices are ideal for storing in your pocket, venue-approved bag or purse, as they’re compact and easy to put away.

There are a multitude of portable chargers and power banks on the market all claiming to be the best of the best, which is why we did the digging to discover which ones are worth your time and money. No matter what your budget is, take a look below to find portable chargers from brands such as Amazon, Best Buy and Walmart.

For more product recommendations, check out our roundup of tech deals on TVs, speakers and record players.

Amazon

Miady 2-Pack 10000mAh Dual USB Portable Charger, USB-C Fast Charging Power Bank, Backup Charger for iPhone 14, Galaxy S22, Pixel and etc

$19.99 $27.99 29% OFF

For just under $20, you can score not one but two portable chargers — one for your purse and one for the office. Each of Miady’s Dual Portable Chargers comes designed with two USB ports that support both iPhone and Android connectors. Plus, with just one plug-in, it can have your device fully charged in up to five hours.

Amazon

LOVELEDI Portable Charger Power Bank

$15.29 $21.99 30% OFF

Carrying your charger from home won’t suffice when you’re outdoors or can’t find an outlet that’s not in use. Loveledi has a portable charger bank that can juice up two devices at once. Featuring two USB-C and two micro USB input ports, you can have your smartphone or tablet recharged in up to four hours.

Best Buy

Anker PowerCore III Sense 20K Portable Battery Charger

$47.99 $67.99 29% off% OFF

The Anker PowerCore III is a splurge-worthy pick for its ability to charge up to three devices at a time thanks to its powerful 20000mAh battery. It’s also one of the sleekest models we found, boasting a fabric exterior and slim width that’s easy to carry around.

Walmart

Durecopow Solar Portable Charger

$16.55 $19.99 17% off% OFF

If you love the outdoors, then you need to add the Durecopow Solar Portable Charger to your cart ASAP. Not only will it give your smartphone some much needed battery life, but it comes equipped with a compass, flashlight and a solar panel — meaning you won’t have to rely on an outlet to recharge it. It’s also water-, dust- and shockproof.

Walmart

myCharge Xtra Portable Charger

$9.95

Add some color to your tech collection with myCharge’s Xtra Portable Charger in a calming sage green. Whether it’s your smartphone, tablet or laptop that requires some juicing up, this design has a 9,000mAh power bank ready to get you back online.

Amazon

Pxwaxpy Portable Charger Power Bank

$31.95

When it comes to battery power, Pxwaxpy’s Portable Charger Power Bank is packed with it. This model has a 30,800mAh power bank that claims to be able to charge your phone at least six times before needing to be recharged itself. It also has the ability to charge up to three devices at a time and has an LCD display screen that’ll let you know its battery level.

Pres. Biden to Celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month With Stars of Broadway’s ‘Parade’

President Joe Biden will host the stars of the Broadway revival of Parade at the White House on Tuesday (May 16) at an event that will mark Jewish American Heritage Month. According to the Associate Press, the gathering will also highlight the Biden administration’s efforts to combat the rising tide of antisemitism across the nation.

In addition to the performance from the Parade actors, the gathering will feature Biden celebrating the contributions of Jewish Americans and a reflection on how his decision to run for the White House in 2020 was partially inspired by the 2017 neo-Nazi march in Charlottesville, Va. that resulted in the killing of an anti-racist demonstrator at a supremacist rally that former Pres. Donald Trump blamed on “both sides.”

The White House event will feature performances from Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond, both 2023 Tony nominees for their performances in Parade; the musical tells the story of the early 20th century trial, imprisonment and lynching of Jewish American factory manager Leo Frank. The musical’s composer, Jason Robert Brown, will also attend.

During his 2020 run, Biden — who announced his intention to run for re-election two weeks ago — frequently made mention of the “Unite the Right” rally where clashes between white nationalists and counterprotesters resulted in the death of Heather Heyer, who was killed when a white nationalist ran her over her while plowing his car into the anti-racist protesters.

The AP said Biden was also expected to spotlight his appointment of America’s first-ever ambassador-level special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism, as well as increased federal funding to help secure synagogues, Jewish community centers and Jewish day school and convening a White House summit on combating hate-fueled violence.

Maren Morris Dunks on ‘Recently Unemployed’ Tucker Carlson Again at 2023 GLAAD Media Awards

Maren Morris is not ready to make nice. The country star took another swipe at her ultra-conservative nemesis, Tucker Carlson, on Saturday night during the 2023 GLAAD Media Awards, where she drew loud cheers from the room packed with LGBTQ rights supporters while accepting the Excellence in Media Award.

“Maybe I felt a little badass taking Tucker Carlson’s calling me a lunatic for standing up to transphobia, turning it into a T-shirt and raising $150,000 for LGBTQ+ charities,” Morris said while accepting the award that recognizes allies who have “made a significant difference in promoting acceptance of LGBTQ people” in their work. “That made me feel a little cool, but I don’t want to gloat. I would never insult the recently unemployed.”

According to The Huffington Post, the swipe at the former Fox News prime time host known for his xenophobic and homophobic rants inspired the crowd to erupt in applause. Carlson was unceremoniously fired, reportedly with little warning, last month in the wake of the conservative network’s $787 million loss in the Dominion Voting lawsuit.

“The crowds at my shows are a sea of diversity, from race, identity to age,” Morris added in her GLAAD acceptance speech. “It is a loving, safe space for my band, crew, venue staff and most notably, my fans. This community stood up for me and made me feel safe when I felt alone and I’ll never be able to repay them, but I hope I get to spend the rest of my life and career settling up.”

Morris’ ding of Carlson was a reference to the host dubbing her a “lunatic” and a “fake country music person” last year when “The Bones” singer was in the midst of a public spat with Jason Aldean’s wife, Brittany Aldean, after the latter posted comments deemed offensive to the transgender community. “I’d really like to thank my parents for not changing my gender when I went through my tomboy phase. I love this girly life,” Brittany Aldean wrote in a makeup video. Morris initially reacted to Carlson’s firing in late April by posting an Instagram Story in which she wrote “Happy Monday, MotherTucker.”

Morris decided to turn Carlson’s haterade into sweet tea last fall by selling t-shirts with Tucker’s “lunatic” insult that raised more than $150K for Trans Life and GLAAD’s Transgender Media Program. Morris wasn’t done after that, either, going on to join the loud chorus of stars denouncing Tennessee’s anti-drag legislation during a performance at March’s Love Rising benefit concert for LGBTQ causes in Nashville.

Check out a portion of Morris’ speech below.

Striking Hollywood Writers Vow Not to Picket 2023 Tony Awards, Opening Door to Some Kind of Show

Striking members of the Writers Guild of America have said they will not picket next month’s Tony Awards telecast, clearing a thorny issue facing show organizers and opening the door for some sort of Broadway razzle-dazzle on TV.

The union last week denied a request by Tony organizers to have a waiver for their June 11 glitzy live telecast. It reiterated that in a statement late Monday (May 15), saying the guild “will not negotiate an interim agreement or a waiver for the Tony Awards.”

But the guild gave some hope that some sort of Tony show might go on, saying organizers “are altering this year’s show to conform with specific requests from the WGA, and therefore the WGA will not be picketing the show.” What is being altered was not clear, but it may be to allow a non-scripted version of the Tonys to go on; Ariana DeBose was slated to host the show for a second year in a row.

The strike, which has already darkened late-night TV shows like The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show With Stephen Colbert and Saturday Night Live and delayed the making of scripted TV shows, was jeopardizing theater’s biggest night, one that many Broadway shows rely on to attract interest with millions of people watching.

The union — representing 11,500 writers of film, television and other entertainment forms — has been on strike since May 2, primarily over royalties from streaming media. While the guild doesn’t represent Broadway writers, it does represent writers who work on the Tonys telecast.

Tony organizers faced a stark choice after the request for a waiver was rejected: either postpone the ceremony until the strike ends or announce winners in a non-televised reception that would ask nominees to cross picket lines. The decision Monday means the possibility of a third way: A non-scripted show that leans heavily on performances.

That is largely what happened during the 1988 awards, which were broadcast during a Writers Guild of America walkout. Host Angela Lansbury and presenters speaking impromptu and with performances from such shows as A Chorus Line and Anything Goes.

Before the Writers Guild of America decision, a two-part Tony ceremony had been planned, with a pre-show of performances streaming live on Pluto, and the main awards ceremony broadcasting live on CBS and streaming live to premium-level Peacock members.

The big first awards show during the current strike was the MTV Movie & TV Awards, which had no host and relied on recycled clips and a smattering of pre-recorded acceptance speeches. The strike has also disrupted the PEN America Gala and the Peabody Awards, which celebrate broadcasting and streaming media, on Monday canceled its June 11 awards show.