In her new Netflix documentary “Miss Americana,” the 30-year-old pop star sports a large ring in one scene, leading fans to believe that she and Alwyn, 28, might be headed down the aisle.
The bauble in question appears during a scene in which Swift discusses her decision to break her silence on politics. Sitting cross-legged on a couch while dressed in all black, the “Lover” chart-topper says, “I want to be on the right side of history,” raising her hand to reveal what appears to be a massive diamond.
“Miss Americana” director Lana Wilson played coy when asked about the ring at the film’s Sundance premiere last week, telling InStyle, “Whoa. I’m going to have to revisit that scene.”
Taylor Swift in “Miss Americana”Netflix
Over the course of their three years as a couple thus far, Swift and Alwyn have chosen to keep their relationship out of the limelight.
The “Harriet” actor does make several appearances in the singer’s doc, however, giving Swift a hug after one of her performances and seeming to sit beside her in a car as she kisses his hand. The musician also mouths “I love you” to the person behind the camera — Alwyn, presumably — while playing her song “Call It What You Want” on the guitar.
Whether or not Swift’s ready to tie the knot, fans shouldn’t expect her to settle down in the traditional sense. “There’s part of me that feels like I’m 57 years old,” she admits during the documentary. “But there’s part of me that’s definitely not ready to have kids and definitely not ready for all that grown up stuff.”
A rep for Swift did not immediately respond to Page Six Style’s request for comment.
In the documentary out Friday, Swift goes after Blackburn's record as she gets emotional discussing with her parents and team about wanting to voice her opinion in the 2018 midterm elections, adding that she regrets not speaking out against Donald Trump during the 2016 election.
Swift, who had been reluctant to voice her political opinions in the past, broke her silence on politics during the 2018 midterms and endorsed Blackburn's rival for Senate, Democrat Phil Bredesen, and another Democrat running in Tennessee in an Instagram post. In the post's caption, Swift had said Blackburn's voting record "appalls and terrifies me."
Blackburn, a conservative lawmaker closely tied to the President, ended up winning her 2018 race by about 11 points, becoming the first female senator to represent her state.
Later in the documentary, Swift is shown reacting to Blackburn's election victory, saying she "can't believe it."
"She gets to be the first female senator in Tennessee, and she's Trump in a wig," Swift says. "She represents no female interests. She won by being a female applying to the kind of female males want us to be in a horrendous 1950s world."
The pop singer criticizes also Blackburn for her 2013 vote against the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act and stance against same-sex marriage.
"It's really basic human rights, and it's right and wrong at this point, and I can't see another commercial and see her disguising these policies behind the words 'Tennessee Christian values,'" Swift says, getting emotional. "Those aren't Tennessee Christian values. I live in Tennessee. I am Christian. That's not what we stand for."
After Swift went public with her endorsement of Bredesen, Blackburn told Fox News at the time, "Of course I support women and I want violence to end against women."
It seems the Republican senator doesn't want bad blood between her and Swift, according to a statement provided to CNN.
"Taylor is an exceptionally gifted artist and songwriter, and Nashville is fortunate to be the center of her creative universe," Blackburn said in the statement, first reported by Variety. "While there are policy issues on which we may always disagree, we do agree on the need to throw the entertainment community's collective influence behind legislation protecting songwriters, musicians, and artists from censorship, copyright theft, and profiteering."
She pointed to her and Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler's legislation, the Ask Musicians for Music Act, or AM-FM Act, that seeks to have radio services "pay fair market value" for the music they use.
Swift has been a vocal about concerns around the rights of singers and songwriters to profit from their own music.
"I welcome any further opportunities to work with Tennessee's and the nation's creative communities to protect intellectual property and ensure appropriate compensation for their creations. On that note, I wish Taylor the best — she's earned it," Blackburn added.
The royal epic will end its reign earlier than expected with creator Peter Morgan saying it was the "perfect time and place to stop."
Royal watchers hoping The Crown might be extended to include Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's "Megxit" or the fallout from Prince Andrew's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein are set to be disappointed.
Netflix's hit drama series about the British royal family will end with season five, creator and showrunner Peter Morgan has revealed, with Imelda Staunton confirmed as taking the golden baton from Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth for the final season.
"At the outset I had imagined The Crown running for six seasons but now that we have begun work on the stories for season five it has become clear to me that this is the perfect time and place to stop," said Morgan. "I’m grateful to Netflix and Sony for supporting me in this decision."
Morgan added that was "absolutely thrilled" that Staunton — a British stage and screen icon with a career spanning four decades, five Olivier awards, a BAFTA award and an Oscar nomination (for 2004's Vera Drake) — would be "taking The Crown into the 21st Century."
“I have loved watching The Crown from the very start," said Staunton, recently seen in the Downton Abbey movie alongside her husband Jim Carter (who plays Mr. Carson).
"As an actor it was a joy to see how both Claire Foy and Olivia Colman brought something special and unique to Peter Morgan’s scripts. I am genuinely honoured to be joining such an exceptional creative team and to be taking The Crown to its conclusion."
Produced for Netflix by the Sony-owned Brit banner Left Bank Pictures, The Crown became one of the SVOD giants most defining prestige dramas when it first aired in 2016, while coming to underline the company's commitment to big-budget production spend in the U.K., where it now has a major presence.
Among its sizeable haul of honors across the first two seasons are back-to-back SAG awards for Foy, a SAG award for John Lithgow, who played Winston Churchill, Golden Globe wins (best television series – drama, and best actress – television series drama for Foy), plus a total of 26 Primetime Emmy noms.
Season three – which arrived on Netflix in December – has already won Colman (who took over from Foy as Queen Elizabeth) a Golden Globe, while the show itself was awarded the SAG award for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series.
"The first three seasons of The Crown defined an era, and I know the upcoming fourth season will build further on that success," said Netflix vp, original content, Cindy Holland.
"It’s a stunning example of award-winning entertainment, created in the U.K. and loved by millions of fans around the world. I fully support Peter Morgan’s creative decision and am excited to see how he, Imelda Staunton and the cast and crew of Season 5, bring this landmark series to a fitting and spectacular end."
Jennifer Lopez cannot contain her excitement for her upcoming Super Bowl LIV halftime show performance. A gig she likened to "winning an Oscar," the 50-year-old superstar has worked tirelessly for months to put together a show viewers will remember.
Following in the footsteps of big names before her, including Maroon 5, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Madonna, the list goes on, Alex Rodriguez's other half appears to be 100 percent dedicated to the task. She's already provided her fanbase a ton of sneak peeks behind the scenes of rehearsals via her social media accounts.
“We are so excited to announce that global superstars Jennifer Lopez and Shakira will take the stage together for the very first time at the Pepsi Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show. We’ve been working closely behind-the-scenes with our longstanding partners at the NFL, and now alongside Roc Nation to bring these mega superstars together. It is a testament to our partnership and commitment to push the envelope of what is possible," Adam Harter, senior vice president of sports, media and entertainment at PepsiCo said in a statement.
This combination photo shows actress-singer Jennifer Lopez performing at the Directv Super Saturday Night in Minneapolis on Feb. 3, 2018, left, and Shakira performing at Madison Square Garden in New York on Aug. 10, 2018. The NFL, Pepsi and Roc Nation announced Thursday, Sept. 26, 2019, that Lopez and Shakira will perform at the 2020 Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show on Feb. 2, 2020 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.
(Michael Zorn/Invision/AP)
Pepsi's Vice President of Marketing, Todd Kaplan, also shared in the joy of JLo joining the Super Bowl ranks.
"The Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show has become one of the most iconic and anticipated music performances of the year, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome Jennifer Lopez and Shakira to the stage. These two remarkable artists are setting a new precedent for what this show can become, and we’re confident that this will be an incredible performance for the ages," said Kaplan.
In order to prepare for the big gig, JLo has informed her 110 million Instagram followers just how busy she's been in preparation for the event.
In September, JLo excitedly shared her first announcement of her and Shakira's performance with the caption, "This is happening. 02.02.20." The post received over 1.3 million likes.
"Going to set the world on 🔥🔥🔥 @shakira#PepsiHalftime#SuperBowlLIV@pepsi," the icon captioned a second post showing her and Shakira dressed in matching gold and black outfits.
JLo's halftime show announcement came on the heels of the singer's role in "Hustlers," the release of a fragrance and a performance on "Saturday Night Live," amid other projects.
In December, her fiance, ARod, assumed responsibility of cameraman by giving fans a sneak peek at one of her rehearsals. The excited husband-to-be excitedly panned the camera to a crowd of dozens of young girls who are reportedly joining the icon on stage in a dance performance.
In another teaser on the TikTok app on January 12, the hitmaker showed off young dancers learning choreography to "On the Floor."
"Take on the challenge and dance to On The Floor with me!!! I'll share some of my faves," JLo captioned the TikTok clip.
At the Golden Globes, the singer-actress was stopped by Entertainment Tonight on the red carpet where she confidently shared she was "ready."
"I'm ready. I'm excited about it. It's me and Shakira, she's carrying half the load," she quipped. "We've been working on an amazing show for everybody."
In another red carpet interview with the outlet, JLo admitted that her muscles were "sore" from her demanding rehearsal schedule.
"I'm obviously going to try to put together the best show I can but also it's about having fun, staying present in the moment and enjoying all of the wonderful things that are happening right now," JLo told a reporter earlier this month.
On January 19, JLo shared a selfie proving she's staying hydrated through her demanding schedule. In the photo, she's seen sipping out of a blue rhinestone-encrusted water bottle with the Super Bowl date on it.
"Happy Sunday! ✌🏽week countdown until the Super Bowl = time for a new bling cup 💎🥤!!! Head over to my TikTok to take on the #JLoSuperBowlChallenge," she captioned the post.
Of course, another big part of the show is getting acclimated to the venue. This year's Super Bowl LIV will be held at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. In a video posted 10 days before the show, the star was on the actual field holding a microphone as she attempted to test out her own football moves.
"I'll just be here on the 25-yard line waiting for my cue," she told the camera.
The Super Bowl LIV will air on Fox on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. EST.
Jennifer Lopez and Shakira are gearing up to take center stage at Super Bowl LIV. They're not just warming up their voices, though. The Hustlers star is also flexing her ridiculously toned arm muscles and tossing the pigskin around in Miami RN.
It seems she and her big guns are gunning for a spot on the field. And, tbh she looks like she could fit right in with the players. Take a look at the photo she posted to Instagram, and just try to tell me I'm wrong.
The official NFL account commented on her post: "Multi-talented! 🏈🎤."
Btw, J.Lo does have a bit of experience working out with pro athletes. Her go-to workout buddy is fiancé Alex Rodriguez, whose pro baseball career needs no introduction. He also chimed in on Jennifer's Instagram with, "Game changer ❤️👍✅⚾️💥."
So, how did J.Lo get her arms looking so dang strong? For one, it took a lot of intense sweat sessions with her boo, during which she follows the same circuit as him. ICYDK, A-Rod often posts a full rundown of their his-and-hers strength training. And he added proof that she more than keeps up in the caption: "When your workout partner kicks your a$$ 🤦🏽♂️."
J.Lo also took a crash course in pole dancing (literally, she had bruises all over) to prep for her role in Hustlers. She worked with the film's lead choreographer, Johanna Sapakie (nbd, she's performed with Cirque du Soleil), who put the superstar through her paces. "This is just as hard as anything I've ever learned," J.Lo said about her training.
Even when she's not doubling down for a role, she "very rarely skips a workout," she revealed to Us Weekly in 2015.
NFL scouts, take note—you don't want to miss this recruitment opportunity.
Related video: 5 Celeb Trainers' Advice to Gym Newbies (Provided by Health.com)
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly had a way out of the royal family before they tied the knot. When they were engaged, Queen Elizabeth allegedly pushed for a longer transition period for Meghan that would have kept her out of the royal spotlight. But Meghan and Harry turned down the offer and became working members of the monarchy shortly after their $25 million wedding.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle | Aaron Chown – WPA Pool/Getty Images
Meghan Markle gives up acting for Prince Harry
Before she met Prince Harry, Meghan had a promising career in Hollywood. The future Duchess of Sussex had made a name for herself in the popular legal drama, Suits, and seemed poised for a successful career in the entertainment industry.
That all changed when she started dating Harry. When he proposed
to Meghan, she decided to give up acting altogether and become a full-time
royal.
After the couple tied the knot in 2018, Meghan took on a full
schedule as a senior member of the royal family. But the scrutiny Meghan and Prince
Harry faced over the past two years proved too difficult for them to handle.
At the beginning of 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex
announced that they were stepping away from their royal duties in favor of a
quieter life. They plan on splitting their time between the UK and Canada and
will no longer accept public funding.
Queen Elizabeth announces royal split
In the days following the stunning announcement, Prince Harry met with other senior royals about leaving The Firm. This includes several meetings with Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, and Prince William at Her Majesty’s estate in Sandringham.
Following the intense discussions, Queen Elizabeth released a
statement confirming that Harry and Meghan will be leaving the royal family to
lead a more private life. The transition is likely to be finalized sometime
this spring.
“I recognize the challenges they have experienced as a
result of intense scrutiny over the last two years and support their wish for a
more independent life,” Queen Elizabeth shared.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are currently living on Vancouver Island and are reportedly looking to purchase a second home somewhere in Canada. They are also expected to pay back the money that was used to renovate their house, Frogmore Cottage.
While the couple’s departure shocked royal watchers around the
world, inside sources claim that they were offered a way out of the royal
spotlight days before their lavish wedding.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle offered freedom
Before Meghan and Harry tied the knot, Queen Elizabeth reportedly
approached them with an offer that would make her transition into the royal
family a lot smoother. According to The
Sun, Queen Elizabeth wanted Meghan to take on a lesser role in the
family that would allow her to continue acting.
“From the early days, the Queen really wanted to agree a
smooth transition for Meghan,” a source claims. “The offer would have
allowed her to carry on her career but she was happy to stop acting to become a
working member of the royal family.”
At the time of her wedding, Meghan discussed leaving her acting
career behind and said that she was excited to begin a new chapter in her life.
She also stated that she had put everything she had in her career and felt like
it was a good time to step away.
Fast forward two years and palace officials are reportedly
frustrated by Megxit because they believe it could have been prevented if
Meghan and Prince Harry had accepted Queen Elizabeth’s offer.
They are also disappointed because it seems like Meghan and Harry
were pressured into quitting, which could not be further from the truth. The
royal family has not confirmed the rumors about Queen Elizabeth’s offer.
Was Meghan Markle planning Megxit this whole time?
Apart from Her Majesty’s alleged offer, there are rumors that
suggest Meghan had been planning an early exit from the royal family since day
one.
Once Meghan and Prince Harry exchanged vows, it was presumed that
she would be living permanently in the UK. But prior to moving her things from
Canada, Meghan put a bunch of her clothing in a storage unit in Toronto.
A few weeks ago, Meghan had the clothes shipped from the storage facility to her temporary home on Vancouver Island.
The move has sparked a lot of speculation that Meghan never
intended to remain in the UK for the rest of her life and always had plans to
return to Canada. After all, why else would she keep some of her personal items
in Canada if she didn’t plan on returning?
Meghan Markle has not commented on the rumors surrounding her
exit. Prince Harry has spoken out and said that he felt he “had no other choice.”
Ciara and husband Russell Wilson are adding another member to their offensive line.
On Thursday, the 34-year-old singer announced she is expecting her third child, her second with the Seahawks quarterback, 31.
“Number 3,” Ciara captioned a scenic shot on Instagram, featuring her growing bump.
Wilson also shared the exciting news as he took a selfie with Ciara posing in the background.
Married since 2016, Ciara and Wilson welcomed their first child together, daughter Sienna Princess, in 2017. The “Melanin” crooner also shares son Future Zahir, 5, with former fiancé Future.
In November, Ciara gushed that she was looking forward to having more children with Wilson, telling “Extra,” “We’ll just go one day at a time, but I definitely do look forward to having more kids … We got time for that.”
Before Jennifer Lopez was a Super Bowl LIV halftime headliner, she was performing as a Fly Girl during the "In Living Color" halftime show. The sketch comedy show upstaged the 1992 Super Bowl halftime performance and forever changed the game. The Fox series' cast members, the network's former president, NFL insiders and a couple of Olympic gold medalists discuss the culture-shifting moment.
Washington led Buffalo 17-0 at the half of Super Bowl XXVI in Minneapolis. Those tuned in to the CBS broadcast hoped the action would heat up during the "Winter Magic" spectacular. Instead, they got a monotonic introduction from then-NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue and cheesy snowflake graphics.
There was no Diana Ross, no Rolling Stones, no Bruce Springsteen, no Beyoncé and no J-Lo and Shakira.
Olympic figure skaters Dorothy Hamill and Brian Boitano skated atop oversized plastic snowflakes in the middle of the field. Women costumed as snowflakes paraded beside them. Gloria Estefan, known as a trailblazer of the sizzling Miami music scene, performed a winterized rendition of "Live for Loving You" and "Get on Your Feet."
Just a click of a remote away, "In Living Color," which aired on Sundays, dangled its organic connection to youth culture and hip-hop in front of Super Bowl halftime viewers. And they took the bait. The Keenen Ivory Wayans-created series that ran for five seasons, from 1990 until 1994, captured nearly 28.9 million live viewers (including many who weren't previously watching the big game), according to Nielsen. The counterprogramming snagged about 11.7% of the 79.5 million average viewers of CBS' Super Bowl.
Competition often inspires innovation. For 1993, the NFL hired Michael Jackson as the halftime performer. The Super Bowl TV audience rose to 133.4 million viewers. CBS lost the television rights for the '93 game. NBC televised the new halftime spectacular format.
If it weren't for "In Living Color" nudging the NFL to get a tad more creative, we probably wouldn't have had Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction or watched Lady Gaga make a high-flying entrance to halftime. We'd perhaps still have high school marching bands and the occasional miscast musical performer.
Everyone quoted is identified by the title they held during Super Bowl XXVI or during their tenure on the Fox series, unless otherwise noted.
HALFTIME WASN'T ALWAYS SPECTACULAR
Jim Steeg, senior vice president, special events, for the NFL and creator of the halftime spectacular: From, like, 1976 through '86, many of the halftime shows were done by Up with People [a traveling troupe of clean-cut kids who sang and danced] or by Disney [now ESPN's parent company]. Once we got past '86, we decided that we needed to go out and find other producers or production companies to put it together. Get something different and fresh. We talked to maybe 15 different producers; [even] Dick Clark came in.
Super Bowl XXVI, we had Gloria Estefan and Brian Boitano and things like that. But [the theme] wasn't driven by the talent. It was more about a spectacle or spectacular. We were trying to figure out how you could celebrate the North and its elements. With the Olympics around the corner, it worked. And Dorothy Hamill and Boitano were big names. [By the 1992 Olympics, Hamill and Boitano had retired. He would, however, make a comeback in 1994 at the Games in Lillehammer, Norway.] But we couldn't bring in ice. We brought in [a plastic surface]. So they could skate on it.
Lesley Visser, CBS Sports correspondent who hosted the presentation of the Lombardi trophy to Washington: They must have done skating because we were in Minnesota. We were heading out to the 1992 Olympics in Albertville, France, the next month. Skating is always the No. 1 sport in the [Winter] Olympics. It made sense. I guess Gloria Estefan, who's beloved -- they just wanted a singer present.
Dorothy Hamill, figure skater and halftime performer: Brian and I were on a little slab of plastic "ice." I had people that were actually at the Super Bowl that didn't know. They didn't see Brian or me on the ice because there was so much going on. I'm sure they were watching Gloria and all that. They said, "You were at the Super Bowl? You were on halftime?" I fell on my rear end, so just as well they didn't see it.
Brian Boitano, figure skater and halftime performer: It's a running a joke for my friends. They are always like, "This certainly isn't 'Winter Magic.'" I was very excited to be at the Super Bowl. Dorothy and I came in the night before and practiced on the plastic ice. I was scared to death because I'd never skated on plastic before. And it was elevated off the stadium floor. If I fell off, it would have been very, very embarrassing.
Hamill: [The halftime producers] gave us a piece of music, and I think I had, like, 30 seconds or 40 seconds. Maybe Brian had 40 seconds to perform. We were about a hundred feet away from one another. There were marching bands, cameras and everything in between us. So when we were performing simultaneously -- which wasn't a lot, just like a turn and a glide -- I couldn't see him. We couldn't really match each other.
Steeg: We were in Minnesota. This isn't Miami, New Orleans or Los Angeles. We had to embrace the winter theme. Ironically, here you have Gloria Estefan, the first lady of Miami, as part of the show. [Estefan returned as a Super Bowl halftime performer in 1999 alongside Stevie Wonder. Radio City Music Hall produced the segment; the game was in Miami.]
Boitano: We practiced with Gloria. I had met her before that. You're on a circuit several years after the Olympics. And she was hot then, so I did a lot of events with her. And didn't she wear a tutu during halftime?
Steeg: Let's also remember, most performers, even if we had some tangential discussion with them about it, they'd say: "I'm not going to do the halftime show. That's not for me. I can't see myself involved with it."
Members of the 1980 U.S. men's hockey team, which defeated the Soviet Union in a stunning semifinal upset and went on to win Olympic gold, were a part of the 1992 halftime show as well.
WHEN EVERYONE TOOK A BATHROOM BREAK
Keenen Ivory Wayans, "In Living Color" creator: There was an ad exec at Frito-Lay, and he's the one who came up with the idea of counterprogramming against the Super Bowl. [Frito-Lay sponsored the "In Living Color" halftime show.] We brainstormed and decided that we'd do it as a live version of the show. We wanted to put up a [countdown] clock on the screen so that people would know when to go back to the game. I was very confident that we would steal the show. It was such a perfect opportunity because halftime was when everybody went to pee.
Jamie Kellner, president of Fox: I give a lot of credit to the marketing department at Pepsi. They posed the idea to me, and it fit perfectly with our brand and theirs. Roger Enrico was the [CEO of Pepsi], and we met on a plane in Dallas to figure out the logistics and how we could all feel safe with a live broadcast that did not have a firm start or end time. [Frito-Lay, which sponsored the "In Living Color" special in 1992, is an American subsidiary of PepsiCo.]
Tommy Davidson, "In Living Color" cast member: Keenen said, "Man, I've got a great idea, you guys." We all talked as friends. Then he said, "What would you guys think if we did this Super Bowl halftime special?" We jumped in the air and said, "We'll beat the ratings!" About a month later, he came back to us and said, "We got the show." You would've thought that he told us that we were in the Super Bowl. Jamie [Foxx], all of us, we went crazy because we knew we were going to beat them.
David Alan Grier, cast member: It was prime for a takeover. Real simple. We were just going to do our show during halftime. And they started running ads all over Fox, wherever they could -- "Be sure to tune in to 'In Living Color.'" We had a very young audience, very urban, but everybody loved it. And I was filming "Boomerang" at the time. I remember Eddie [Murphy, who was the lead actor of the 1992 film] and Reginald Hudlin, the director of "Boomerang," they all knew how big this would be. Everyone, including the studio, allowed me to fly back to film the special. I flew back that morning to get there in time for the live broadcast.
Steeg: We all knew about it. And Fox, at that point in time, was probably a distant fourth to the big networks. And I watched "In Living Color"; we knew about the programming. But people had tried to ambush [halftime] in some way, shape or form. But it hadn't taken. This became a different thing.
Davidson: Keenen says, "All right, Jamie, you're doing this. Jim [Carrey], I pick you to do this. David, I got you doing this." Then he said, "Tommy, I got you hosting because you can handle live." I was like, "Oh my god! I thought you ain't like me!" And I'm like Michael Jordan. All you got to do is give me a ball!
Grier: We had our soundstage, where we always shot the show. And next door to the soundstage was another stage; that's where the live Super Bowl party was going on. That morning when I got into the car [in L.A., after departing New York, where "Boomerang" was filmed, and before heading to the set at the Fox Television Center], the hotel staff was waiting. The doorman and everybody was like, "Yo, man, we're going to watch you. And y'all better get down."
T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh, cast member: The creative chaos was normal at "In Living Color," so going live, we just rolled with it. For most of us, it was our first series. It was my introduction to television. I thought everybody knew their censors by name.
THE SKETCHES THAT STOLE THE SHOW
In the opening skit of the "In Living Color" Super Bowl show, Keenen and his brother (and fellow actor) Damon Wayans pulled former Bills running back Thurman Thomas' fictional wallet out of a locker and discussed the limits of his gold credit card. In real life, the future Hall of Famer was on the field. The special also featured a "Men on Football" skit, an offshoot of the show's "Men on" franchise. Damon and Grier played culture critics in the sketch. Often the jokes were off-color, and they would likely be deemed inappropriate for network television today.
Keenen Ivory Wayans: We knew we'd have football fans, and they may not have seen the show. We decided to combine making fun of football and using the characters from the show. There was a lot of improvisation, and it was scary because I didn't know who was going to say what. That's how we did the show. And I didn't want to compromise that.
Grier: Some of the skits were shot live, and some were pre-taped. Honestly, some of the sketches were probably too risqué. But we had a delay, and if the censors wanted to press the delay button, they'd push it. Now, as far as I know, I don't think they ever pressed it, so we just went buck wild. We were trying to make people flip the channel, instead of watching rodeo dancing and stuff. Damon and I put some sauce on it, especially with the ["Men on"] characters. We would always have something in the pocket. [Parts of the "Men on" sketch were edited out for re-airings.]
Davidson: Keenen later turns to me and says, "Hey, Tommy, can you do Sugar Ray [Leonard]?" And I didn't even care if I really couldn't do a Sugar Ray impression. I said, "Yeah." I went home that night and just kept watching him. I watched Sugar Ray videos 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. I had him nailed by rehearsals. And Jim was Jim. He just did his thing. [Davidson played Sugar Ray interviewing guests during the live taping.]
Kelly Coffield Park, cast member: Jim would just say extreme s--- all the time; everybody did. And it was like, was that on-air? Yeah, it was. Instead of saying, "Now you can go back to watching the game," he'd be extreme. [Carrey referenced the countdown clock that directed fans to go back to watching the Super Bowl after halftime by saying: "You won't miss any of the senseless brutality".] And did he have a huge agenda behind that? He was probably just being ridiculous.
Keenen Ivory Wayans: I mean, the censors had that kill switch. And it looks like we pulled it off. If they missed something, it was on purpose. They wanted the hype. They wanted the controversy. It was good publicity.
Kellner: Keenen and his team wrote a very funny episode that pushed the edge about as far as it could go and not get us in trouble. I sat in the control room with the head of standards and practices for Fox to ride the edit button in case an ad-lib crossed the line. The plan was I would tap his shoulder if I wanted an edit. We both started laughing and missed two edits.
Park: I still get positive feedback on the skits. Damon and David were always pushing the limits with "Men on." They were two straight men playing two gay men, so that wouldn't fly now. At least not in such a stereotypical context.
Marlon Wayans, cast member: I remember watching from the dorms at Howard [University]; this was before I joined the cast. I was just the brother to everyone on "In Living Color" back then. My brother Damon and [David] had a Carl Lewis joke in the special that was just so out there. They improvised it. I was just like, "Man, Carl Lewis is coming. He is going to come looking for you. And you can't run from him." But we always handled things with kid gloves. We weren't trying to be dark.
Shawn Wayans, cast member and onstage DJ: There was a whole party going on in between live sketches. That's what "In Living Color" was -- every rapper and actor was there all the time. The halftime special was different because it was live. And we had R&B group Color Me Badd perform before closing out the show. They sang, "I Wanna Sex You Up."
Keenen Ivory Wayans: Our greenroom was like that all the time. Whenever we taped a show, people just came, so we just decided to kind of share the backstage with the public.
Davidson: It was unbelievable because everybody was coming to the tapings of "In Living Color" anyway. Denzel [Washington], Bruce Willis and more. Every week it was an all-star lineup. After we finished taping every show, people stayed. Tupac, everybody.
Grier: After the special's live sketches finished on the soundstage, we pulled back the sliding door, and the party was going on. Everyone was there -- [Blair Underwood, Leonardo DiCaprio] and the late great Sam Kinison.
THE ROCK THAT HIT GOLIATH BETWEEN THE EYES
Keenen Ivory Wayans: As confident as we were, we knew that we could've played ourselves. We were going up against ... it was David and Goliath, and if that rock hadn't hit right between the eyes, we would've been done.
Steeg: I think the hay was in the barn, right? Yeah, it was a concern. And we [at the NFL] said, "This isn't going to ever happen again." We went on the aggressive and selected Radio City to [produce] the halftime show the next year in Pasadena. Don Garber, who's now the commissioner of the MLS, was working with NFL Properties then.
And Don and I said, "We gotta do something about this." I don't remember if the commissioner ever said, "What are you going to do? What's going to take place?" We literally, within the next month, sat down and came up with ideas. We had identified who we wanted to go after by March. And we met with Michael Jackson's agent.
Visser: "In Living Color" was so brilliant. Come on. How about when they did the Homeboy Shopping Network skit. So, yep, Michael Jackson. I think that CBS knew that the sands were shifting.
Steeg: We knew we were going to have to increase the budget. Double at least. We were going to have to get a sponsor to help to underwrite it. These days when you think of $1 million ... [the cost of the production and added expenses of Jackson's performance. Additionally, the NFL donated $100,000 to the singer's Heal the World Foundation]. Pepsi signed on as a sponsor. That sponsor had to be acceptable to Michael Jackson's camp. They paid for probably 50% of our increase. ["In Living Color" did not have a halftime special in 1993.]
Keenen Ivory Wayans: The NFL didn't acknowledge this for years. They really just huddled up and said, "Let's get Michael Jackson, and let's make sure this never happens again." They just kept getting big names, like Prince [2007] and Madonna [2012].
Marlon Wayans: To this day, "In Living Color" had the best halftime show. I love Michael Jackson. And Justin Timberlake [2004 and 2017] is a friend of mine. But you could put all of them onstage and it wouldn't be like the halftime "In Living Color" s--- because it was nothing like going from the excitement of the game to those laughs. The laughs were everything.
Grier: The thing about "In Living Color" was, it captured the zeitgeist of that cultural moment. It took the fashion, music, comedy all rolled into one. And I don't even remember who won the Super Bowl that year [Washington defeated Buffalo 37-24].
Kellner: It was a great day for Fox.
Keenen Ivory Wayans: This little ragtag crew did something that changed a huge event. We made history.
The Microsoft founder's eldest child shared a photo on her Instagram account Wednesday revealing that Nassar, who helped Egypt qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, had proposed.
"Nayel Nassar, you are one of a kind. Absolutely swept me off my feet this past weekend, surprising me in the most meaningful location over one of our many shared passions," Gates wrote alongside a photo of the pair sitting on snow.
She added that she "can't wait to spend the rest of our lives learning, growing, laughing and loving together."
The couple, who both attended Stanford University, each have a love for the equine sport.
Gates told CNN's EQ equestrian show last year: "Horses are just one part of our life, but we love the sport.
"He's a professional, and I do this as an amateur. So, to be able to share our love and passion for horses with each other is just incredible."
In October last year, Nassar helped Egypt qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games by winning the CSIO4*-W Nations Cup of Rabat.
The feat led to the country's first Olympic qualification for the sport in 60 years.
Nassar also posted two other photos of the wintry proposal on his own Instagram account Wednesday, writing: "SHE SAID YES!!"
"I'm feeling like the luckiest (and happiest) man in the world right about now," he captioned his pictures with his wife-to-be.
"Jenn, you are everything I could have possibly imagined... and so much more. I can't wait to keep growing together through this journey called life, and I simply can't imagine mine without you anymore."
Nassar thanked his partner for "making every single day feel like a dream to me."
While Bill Gates has yet to release a statement on his daughter's pending nuptials, his wife Melinda shared their daughter's post on her Instagram story and said she is "thrilled" for the couple.
Camilla Parker Bowles reportedly had a hand in Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s exit. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced their departure at the beginning of the year and are currently back in Canada staying out of the spotlight. While Harry and Meghan plan their next move, anonymous sources claim that Camilla encouraged Meghan to leave the royal family and “follow her heart.”
Camilla Parker Bowles and Meghan Markle | Chris Jackson/Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle leave the royal family
In a stunning move, Harry and Meghan confirmed that they are
stepping down as senior members of the royal family at the beginning of
January. Taking to Instagram, the Sussexes explained how they no longer want to
depend on public funding and will be spending some of their time in North
America.
Harry met with other members of the royal family after making the shocking announcement. Following the meetings, Queen Elizabeth released a statement in support of the couple’s decision to step down.
Is Meghan Markle Becoming As Unpopular As Camilla Parker Bowles? – The Cheat Sheet
Is Meghan Markle Becoming As Unpopular As Camilla Parker Bowles? The Cheat Sheet
Prince William Cautioned Prince Harry That Things Were Moving Too Quickly with Meghan M… https://t.co/LcfCMgrvfr
Her Majesty also revealed that Harry and Meghan will be giving up
their HRH royal titles and will be paying back the money that was used to
renovate Frogmore Cottage.
Harry has since flown back to Canada to reunite with Meghan and their son, Archie Harrison. The family is staying in a luxurious home on Vancouver Island and is reportedly looking to purchase a home in the region.
Camilla Parker Bowles advises Meghan Markle
A source claims that Camilla and Meghan share a close
relationship behind closed doors. The former Suits star reportedly leans
on Camilla, who has experienced a fair share of royal scandals over the years.
“She knew this was in the works and actually told Meghan to
follow her heart and leave if she needed to,” the insider revealed.
Camilla Parker Bowles has not always had an easy time in the royal family. For years, Camilla engaged in an affair with Prince Charles, who was married to Princess Diana at the time.
Their secret love affair is what really drove Charles and Diana
apart. After they got a divorce, Charles and Camilla started dating and
eventually tied the knot in 2005.
The Duchess of Cambridge faced a lot of public scrutiny over what happened between Charles and Diana, though she has done a lot to repair her image in recent years. While Camilla and Meghan allegedly grew close, the source claims that Charles was oblivious about what the women were planning.
Was Camilla Parker Bowles acting behind Prince Charles’ back?
According to Radar
Online, the insider says that Camilla helped Meghan plan Megxit,
even though Charles wanted her to guide the couple back into the royal family.
“Charles hoped Camilla would be a calming influence, but
he’s been blind to her scheming and stirring that’s been going behind his
back,” the source stated.
Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles have not commented on the rumors surrounding Megxit. Camilla was, however, asked if she would miss Harry and Meghan during a recent public event. After a short pause, Camilla responded with a simple, “Course,” before walking away.
In light of the response, the insider claims that Camilla loves
stirring the pot. She is also really good at playing both sides and has
developed into quite the politician.
To make things even more complicated, the source insists that
Meghan looks up to Camilla and respects her authority. That said, there is good
reason to believe that there is absolutely no truth to the rumors about
Camilla’s involvement in Megxit.
Camilla Parker Bowles takes a step back from the drama
Despite the reports to the contrary, Camilla was not involved in the talks between Harry, Queen Elizabeth, Charles, and William in the wake Megxit. In fact, Camilla stayed behind while her husband tried to reason with Harry to stay in the royal family.
As previously mentioned, Camilla faced a lot of controversies
when she became a member of the royal family, yet she never entertained the
idea of leaving.
The notion that Camilla would advise Harry and Meghan to step
down goes against everything she has endured over the years. If anything,
Camilla would have told them to stay in the royal family and fulfill their
duty.
Unless new information comes to light, it is safe to say that
Camilla had little to do with Harry and Meghan’s decision to step down.
Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles have not said anything about Harry and Meghan’s exit from the royal family. Their departure is expected to be set in stone in the spring.
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9:39 PM PT -- Law enforcement sources tell us they've recovered 2 guns and Offset and 3 others have been taken to the station for further questioning. No official arrests have been made.
Offset has been detained by cops after a report of a person with a gun at an L.A. shopping center.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ a call came in just before 8 PM of a person with a gun inside the parking structure at The Grove shopping center. We're told the person who had the weapon allegedly fled the scene, and Offset and members of his entourage have been detained.
It is NOT clear if Offset or anyone he was with actually had a weapon, and police are currently investigating the situation.
In video -- obtained by TMZ -- Offset can be seen in a yellow hoodie asking officers why he's been cuffed ... the officer pushes the Migos rapper up against a wall.
We are told Offset is currently being held near the security station of The Grove.
