Month: November 2022

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Country Daypop

Granger Smith releases new album “Moonrise” from upcoming film debut

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Granger Smith has just released his latest album Moonrise and announced his acting debut as the star of the upcoming film Moonrise, available on December 15th. Produced by Granger with John Marlin, every song on the new album will also be featured in the film.

In the movie, Smith portrays Will Brown – a country music artist with three kids who has lost his wife in a tragic accident and must seek redemption with his music and his family. Smith felt connected to the character after reading the script and upon learning there wasn’t any music for the film, Granger became the movie’s musical supervisor and wrote all the songs for the movie.  Said Smith:“I definitely didn’t expect to record an album this year (or at least in this way)!  Last holiday season when I accepted the lead role in the movie, I spoke with the director about a song mentioned prominently in the script called ‘Forever Forward’ among others. I said, ‘Can you send me this song, so I can learn it?’ and she replied, ‘Oh, we don’t have that yet, but we’ll find it!’ So, I decided the easiest thing to do would be to write the songs to fill in the gaps for the film. Before long, I had 12 brand new songs and a complete album. This was so different than any other process of music making that I’ve been involved in with, and I LOVED every minute of it.”

You can stream the album “Moonrise” –here.
Smith also premiered the official music video for the song “In This House” from his new album and upcoming film.  Take a look at the video on YouTube – here.

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

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Entertainment Daypop

HBO renews ‘The White Lotus’ for Season 3

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HBO announced that the anthology comedy-drama series “The White Lotus” will return for a third season on the network. HBO tweeted alongside a teaser: “I can’t wait to welcome you to the next White Lotus property.” 

The White Lotus, created, written and directed by Mike White, follows the guests and staff of the fictional ‘White Lotus’ resort chain. Season 1 took place in Hawaii and starred Murray Bartlett, Connie Britton, Jennifer Coolidge, Alexandra Daddario, Jake Lacy, Sydney Sweeny and Molly Shannon. Season 2 is set in Sicily and stars Coolidge, F. Murray Abraham, Meghann Fahy, Michael Imperioli, Theo James, Aubrey Plaza and Sabrina Impacciatore.

HBO programming EVP Francesca Orsi said in a press release: “Reflecting on The White Lotus’ humble, run-and-gun origin as a contained pandemic production, it’s impossible not to be awestruck by how Mike orchestrated one of the buzziest and critically acclaimed shows. And yet, he’s only continued to reach new heights in season 2, which is the ultimate testament to Mike’s raw, unparalleled vision. His courage to explore the uncharted waters of the human psyche, paired with his signature irreverent humor and buoyant directing style, have us all dreaming of more vacation days at the resort we’ve come to adore. We couldn’t be more thrilled to get the chance to collaborate on a third season together.”

Season 2 of “The White Lotus” premiered in October.

Editorial credit: Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com

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Entertainment Daypop

Ticketmaster apologizes to Taylor Swift and fans for ‘The Eras Tour’ ticket fiasco

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Ticketmaster is apologizing to Taylor Swift and her fans for the disasterous presale for her The Eras Tour, and for canceling the public on-sale. The company released an updated public statement about what went wrong during Tuesday’s Verified Fan presale that left millions of fans without tickets.

Ticketmaster’s tweet read: “We strive to make ticket buying as easy as possible for fans, but that hasn’t been the case for many people trying to buy tickets for Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour. First, we want to apologize to Taylor and all of her fans – especially those who had a terrible experience trying to purchase tickets. Next, we feel we owe it to everyone to share some information to help explain what happened … Historically, we’ve been able to manage huge volume coming into the site to shop for tickets, so those with Verified Fan codes have a smooth shopping process. However, this time the staggering number of bot attacks as well as fans who didn’t have codes drove unprecedented traffic on our site, resulting in 3.5 billion total system requests – 4x our previous peak … We handle onsales for countless top tours, some of the biggest sporting events, and more. Never before has a Verified Fan onsale sparked so much attention – or traffic. This disrupted the predictability and reliability that is the hallmark of our Verified Fan platform.”

Ticketmaster added that it will work to improve its system in hopes this doesn’t happen again: “The biggest venues and artists turn to us because we have the leading ticketing technology in the world – that doesn’t mean it’s perfect, and clearly for Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour onsale it wasn’t. But we’re always working to improve the ticket buying experience. Especially for high demand onsales, which continue to test new limits. We’re working to shore up our tech for the new bar that has been set by demand for the Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour. Once we get through that, if there are any next steps, updates will be shared accordingly.  While it’s impossible for everyone to get tickets to these shows, we know we can do more to improve the experience and that’s what we’re focused on.”

Demand for Swift concert tickets was huge before the Verified Fan presale. Swift initially announced 27 dates and then added eight and then 17 new dates within two weeks. Swift will play multiple nights in all cities, tallying to 52 shows in US stadiums in 2023. And despite the ticket sale problems, Ticketmaster did note that “over 2 million tickets were sold on Ticketmaster for Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour on Nov. 15 – the most tickets ever sold for an artist in a single day.”

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News Daypop

Nancy Pelosi stepping down as House Democratic leader after two decades

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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is stepping down from House Democratic leadership but will remain in Congress. The 82-year-old Pelosi made the announcement in a floor speech on Thursday, and received a standing ovation from her colleagues. Noting she will continue to represent her San Francisco, California district, Pelosi said: “I will not seek reelection to Democratic leadership in the next Congress. The hour has come for a new generation to lead the Democratic caucus that I so deeply respect.”  She later tweeted:  “Thank you all — and may God continue to bless the United States of America.”

Pelosi was the the first woman to hold House speakership, and is the Democratic Party’s longest-serving House leader. Her decision will have a major impact on Democrats in their new position as House minority. Republicans officially won majority control in the U.S. House, ending a four-year Democratic majority despite a strong midterm showing for the party. As of Thursday morning, Republicans had captured 218 seats in the chamber compared to Democrats 211.

The announcement comes weeks after her husband, Paul Pelosi, was attacked in their family home in California, a crime believed to be politically motivated.  Pelosi had said the attack on her husband Paul would impact her decision to stay in House leadership post-midterms.

President Joe Biden said of Pelosi in a statement: “History will note she is the most consequential speaker of the House of Representatives in our history. There are countless examples of how she embodies the obligation of elected officials to uphold their oath to God and country to ensure our democracy delivers and remains a beacon to the world. In everything she does, she reflects a dignity in her actions and a dignity she sees in the lives of the people of this nation.”

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News Daypop

Gabby Petito’s family awarded $3M in wrongful death lawsuit against Laundrie estate

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Gabby Petito’s family was awarded $3M after they filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the parents of Brian Laundrie, who they believe killed their 22-year-old daughter last year. Months after Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt filed a civil suit in Sarasota County (where Brian’s parents, Christopher and Roberta Laundrie, reside), a settlement was announced on Thursday, signed by Sarasota County Circuit Judge Hunter W. Carroll.

The suit alleged that the Laundries hindered the search for Petito and knew that she “had been murdered by their son,” who later died by suicide. Patrick Reilly, an attorney for Petito’s family, said: “The Petito family lost their daughter, and they were also denied the opportunity to confront her killer. No amount of money is sufficient to compensate the Petito family for the loss of their daughter, Gabby, at the hands of Brian Laundrie.” Brian Laundrie did not have $3 million at the time of his death and the settlement amount is “an arbitrary number.” The money will go toward the Gabby Petito Foundation, which was established after her August 2021 death.

Petito and Laundrie were on a cross-country trip when she disappeared. The engaged couple left Blue Point, New York, on July 2, 2021, in a 2012 Ford Transit van and documented their journey on YouTube and Instagram. They traveled to Kansas, Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming before Petito was reported missing. Reports of altercations began to surface including one incident where police in Moab, Utah, responded to a report of a “domestic problem” between the pair. Petito stopped communicating with her family, and Laundrie returned to Florida alone with the van, which was recovered by North Port police at the home the couple shared with his parents. Wanted for questioning in Petito’s disappearance,Laundrie then vanished and his body was found in Florida in October 2021, a month after Petito was found dead in Wyoming. A coroner ruled Petito’s death a homicide and said she died by “manual strangulation.” Officials have said that Laundrie died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound and left a note saying he was responsible for his fiancée’s death.

Editorial credit: Pat McGinley / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Country Daypop

Chase Rice announces new album ‘I Hate Cowboys and All Dogs Go To Hell’

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Chase Rice has shared the title and release date for his upcoming album.  I Hate Cowboys and All Dogs Go To Hell, Rice’s sixth studio album, will be released on Feb. 10, 2023.  In addition to the title and release date, Rice also unveiled the album’s cover art, which is a vintage photo of his late father, Daniel.

Rice said of his father in an album press release: “My dad was one of those good guys you read about – tough, hardworking, always helping other people out. I try to live my life in a way that would make him proud. I haven’t always measured up to that, but I get closer to that man I want to be and the man he’d be proud of every single day … Making this album was a big step towards that musically, too. Not only is it the most vulnerable I’ve ever been, it’s also a sound he’d enjoy listening to. I’ve always wanted to honor him by using this photo as an album cover, and I know this project is the one that deserves that. I can’t wait for y’all to hear it.”

I Hate Cowboys and All Dogs Go To Hell is now available to pre-order / pre-save – HERE.

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Country Daypop

Jordan Davis to release new full-length album ‘Bluebird Days’

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Jordan Davis has announced his new full-length album, Bluebird Days, will be released on February 17th, 2023. Davis shared on Instagram: “New album #bluebirddays will be out Feb. 17…pumped to share new music with y’all next year. Join the Parish to pre-order exclusive merch bundles now.”

Bluebird Days will feature Davis’ 2x Platinum No. 1 single, “Buy Dirt,” which was one of the most-streamed songs of the year in 2021 and 2022, “Buy Dirt” was co-written by Davis and his brother Jacob, along with Matt Jenkins and Josh Jenkins. In addition to “Buy Dirt,” the album will feature several recently released tracks including fan-favorites, “Next Thing You Know,” “Midnight Crisis” featuring Danielle Bradbery, “Part of It,” and his current hit single, “What My World Spins Around.”

Exclusive Bluebird Days packages are available for Davis’ fan club, ‘The Parish,’ with general pre-orders opening Fri, Nov 18th via JordanDavisOfficial.com, along with upgrade packages and autographed memorabilia.

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Entertainment Daypop

Take a look at the trailer for ‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance’

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Warner Bros. Pictures has shared a trailer for the romantic comedy-drama ‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance’, featuring Channing Tatum and Salma Hayek.

‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance’ is a sequel to 2012’s Magic Mike and 2015’s Magic Mike XXL. The film series follows Michael “Magic Mike” Lane (Tatum), a male stripper from Florida. The new movie sees Mike head to London with a wealthy socialite (Salma Hayek), where he plans to put on a new show.  An official description reads: “For what he hopes will be one last hurrah, Mike heads to London with a wealthy socialite (Hayek) who lures him with an offer he can’t refuse… and an agenda all her own. With everything on the line, once Mike discovers what she truly has in mind, will he — and the roster of hot new dancers he’ll have to whip into shape — be able to pull it off?” 

Magic Mike’s Last Dance is written by Reid Carolin, who wrote the first two films. Steven Soderbergh, who directed the first film, returns to direct the latest film in the franchise.

Take a look at the trailer for ‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance’ – here.

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Entertainment Daypop

Ticketmaster cancels public ticket sale for Taylor Swift tour

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Ticketmaster announced that the public ticket sale for Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour” on Fri, November 18th has been canceled. Ticketmaster tweeted on Thursday: “Due to extraordinarily high demands on ticketing systems and insufficient remaining ticket inventory to meet that demand, tomorrow’s public on-sale for Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour has been cancelled.” 

Ticket pre-sales began on Nov. 15, with the high demand causing Ticketmaster’s website to crash. The company previously had fans pre-register as Verified Fans before the sale, and over 3.5 million fans pre-registered for Swift’s program — the largest registration in Ticketmaster’s history.   After Ticketmaster’s announcement, Swift fans expressed their disappointment, and even created a website to attempt to take action against Ticketmaster “through collective action.”

Ticketmaster previously issued an explanation in response to the chaos surrounding buying tickets for Swift’s tour: “The Eras on sale made one thing clear: Taylor Swift is an unstoppable force and continues to set records. We strive to make ticket buying as easy as possible for fans, but that hasn’t been the case for many people trying to buy tickets for the Eras Tour. We want to share some information to help explain what happened …Even when a high demand on sale goes flawlessly from a tech perspective, many fans are left empty-handed. For example: based on the volume of traffic to our site, Taylor would need to perform over 900 stadium shows (almost 20x the number of shows she is doing)… that’s a stadium show every single night for the next 2.5 years.”

As of press time, there was no word on whether the general sale will be postponed, or how many tickets still remain after the pre-sale.

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Categories
News Daypop

Vehicle strikes and injures 25 LA County sheriff’s recruits on training run

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A vehicle struck a group of Los Angeles County sheriff’s recruits while they were out for a training run early Wednesday in Southern California. The recruits were in the midst of a training run in Whittier, Calif., when they were struck around 6:26 a.m. PST, the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department said in a post on Facebook.

California Highway Patrol Assistant Chief Charlie Sampson said about 75 recruits were running in formation northbound in the street when the southbound vehicle veered into the opposing lane and struck the victims. Those who were at the front of the formation could see the vehicle coming and were able to get out of the way, while those behind couldn’t see and took the brunt of the impact.

Authorities said 25 people were injured in the crash, including the driver, and that five recruits were in critical condition. In addition to the five who were critically injured, there were four with moderate injuries and 14 with minor injuries. Officials said Wednesday at a press conference that the driver — identified as a 22-year-old man from Diamond Bar, California — was going the wrong way on the road. According to Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, the driver passed a field sobriety test and “blew a 0.0 on a breathalyzer … So, the cause of the accident, motive, anything, is unknown at this time.”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement: “Our hearts are with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s recruits injured this morning while training to serve their communities. Jennifer and I send our best wishes for their recovery and stand with their loved ones and colleagues at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department during this difficult time.”

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