Month: February 2024

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Sen. Mitch McConnell to step down as Senate GOP leader after 17 year-run

Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) addresses the Republican National Convention at the Quicken Arena in Cleveland^ Ohio. July 19^ 2016.

Mitch McConnell, 82, announced he will step down as Senate GOP leader in November. McConnell said he plans to serve out his Senate term, which ends in January 2027, “from a different seat in the chamber.”

McConnell, the longest-serving Senate leader in history, announced his decision Wednesday with prepared remarks which began: “One of life’s most underappreciated talents is to know when it’s time to move on to life’s next chapter. So I stand before you today … to say that this will be my last term as Republican leader of the Senate.”

McConnell’s announcement is said to be unrelated to his health — he had a concussion from a fall last year, and two public episodes where his face briefly froze while he was speaking. Despite the concerns about his health, colleagues have said in recent months that they believe he has recovered and that McConnell was not impaired cognitively, but did have some additional physical limitations. McConnell said in his prepared remarks: “As I have been thinking about when I would deliver some news to the Senate, I always imagined a moment when I had total clarity and peace about the sunset of my work. A moment when I am certain I have helped preserve the ideals I so strongly believe. It arrived today.” McConnell gave no specific reason for the timing of his decision, but cited the recent death of his wife’s youngest sister as prompting the decision: “The end of my contributions are closer than I’d prefer.”   He added:“I love the Senate. It has been my life. There may be more distinguished members of this body throughout our history, but I doubt there are any with more admiration for it,” but added, “Father Time remains undefeated. I am no longer the young man sitting in the back, hoping colleagues would remember my name. It is time for the next generation of leadership. I still have enough gas in the tank to thoroughly disappoint my critics and I intend to do so with all the enthusiasm which they have become accustomed.”

The Kentucky senator had been under increasing pressure from the wing of his party that has aligned firmly with former President Donald Trump. McConnell and Trump have been estranged since December 2020, when McConnell refused to abide Trump’s assertion that the election of Democrat Joe Biden as president was the product of fraud. After the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, McConnell assigned blame and responsibility to Trump and said that he should be held to account through the criminal justice system for his actions.

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News Daypop

Hunter Biden appears on Capitol Hill for closed-door deposition with Republican lawmakers

Hunter Biden Interview for CBS Sunday Morning^ APRIL 4^ 2021

On Wednesday, Hunter Biden testified before two GOP-led House committees leading the impeachment inquiry into President Biden, telling lawmakers in a closed-door deposition that his father was not involved in his various business deals.

In a copy of his opening statement, Hunter Biden said his father was never involved in his business: “I am here today to provide the committees with the one incontestable fact that should end the false premise of this inquiry: I did not involve my father in my business. Not while I was a practicing lawyer, not in my investments or transactions domestic or international, not as a board member, and not as an artist. Never.”

The two House committees have alleged that the Biden family, including the president, financially benefitted from Hunter Biden’s business dealing overseas, despite having direct evidence. The committees subpoenaed Hunter Biden and threatening him with contempt of Congress when he at first refused to testify in private, while he said he preferred to testify in public instead. After negotiations, Biden agreed to the private deposition voluntarily, arguing that his testimony was a “critical component” of their impeachment inquiry, which has centered around allegations that the president profited off of his family members’ foreign business dealings while he was vice president.

Hunter Biden said in his prepared statement: “For more than a year, your Committees have hunted me in your partisan political pursuit of my dad. You have trafficked in innuendo, distortion, and sensationalism — all the while ignoring the clear and convincing evidence staring you in the face. You do not have evidence to support the baseless and MAGA-motivated conspiracies about my father because there isn’t any.” While Biden acknowledged he “squandered” opportunities afforded him during his addiction, he said that those “shortcomings are my own and not my father’s.”

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Country Daypop

Scotty McCreery shares his latest single ‘Love Like This’

Scotty McCreery performs at 48th Street and 6th Avenue on July 31^ 2015 in New York City.

Scotty McCreery is sharing his latest song, ‘Love Like This,’ written by McCreery, Frank Rogers and Aaron Eshuis and produced by Rogers, Derek Wells, and Eshuis.

Shares MCreery of the song: “Becoming a father is the greatest thing that’s happened to me. Raising Avery as he grows and watching my wife Gabi be a rock star as his Mom has been the joy of my life these last 15 months. I knew I wanted to write a song about Avery. I even photographed the room number on the hospital door so I could put that into the lyrics.”

McCreery is currently on the road with his headlining Cab in a Solo Tour, joined by Anne Wilson as direct support as well as Greylan James and Noah Hicks on select dates. The tour will continue to trek across the U.S. through mid-March with stops in Boston, Philadelphia, Syracuse and more.

To stream ‘Love Like This,’ head here.

Editorial credit: Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com

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Country Daypop

Take a listen to Keith Urban’s new single ‘Straight Line’

Keith Urban arrives for “The Northman” Hollywood Premierel on April 18^ 2022 in Hollywood^ CA

Keith Urban has shared his latest single “Straight Line”, the first track from Urban’s forthcoming 12th studio album. Urban wrote on Instagram: “This is the song that kicks off an album I’m jonesing to share with you all. I chose it first for a lot of reasons, but particularly because I think it represents an energy and spirit that became a through line of this whole record. I’m gonna cover a lot of themes, emotions and vibes on this album but a very human spirit runs through them all. ‘Straight Line’ is wanting to break out of a soul-sucking routine that you might be stuck in: maybe in a relationship, a job, with creativity, with yourself… whatever it is!! It’s a message of feeling alive again and getting out from under that dark cloud.”

“Straight Line”, written by Urban, Chase McGill, Jerry Flowers and Greg Wells, was co-produced by Urban and Wells. Says Urban of the track: “‘Straight Line’ is the perfect first track off my album because it’s a song born of wanting to break out of routine and feeling like somewhere along the line, life lost some color and excitement – ‘You and me used to be like a year-round summer…’ This song is about getting it back again – a message of taking back your life and driving out from under the dark cloud. If you’ve seen us in concert, I hope this track gives you that same liberated feeling … While ‘Straight Line’s’ lyrics are about being stuck and trying to break out of the monotony, the melody and energy are a boulevard of nothing but green lights. Every song on this album – even the ballads – carries an energy and a life force that became a very strong throughline. I hope you feel it. I’m so excited for everyone to hear the whole thing.”

Take a look at the lyric video for ‘Straight Line’ – here.
To stream the single, head here.

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Entertainment Daypop

Comedian Richard Lewis dies at age 76

Richard Lewis at the Premiere Of Encore's "Method To The Madness Of Jerry Lewis^" Paramount Studios^ Hollywood^ CA 12-07-11

Stand-up comedian Richard Lewis, known for his role in Larry David’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm”, has died at the age of 76. Lewis’ publicist, Jeff Abraham, said in a statement that Lewis died at his home in Los Angeles on Tuesday night after suffering a heart attack. “His wife, Joyce Lapinsky, thanks everyone for all the love, friendship and support and asks for privacy at this time,” Abraham said in a statement.

Lewis announced in a video posted on X last April he was retiring from stand-up and revealed he had Parkinson’s disease, which he had been diagnosed with two years prior. The comedian said that when he was in the middle of a comedy tour three and a half years ago, he thought to himself, “You know, I’m at the top of my game. After 50 years almost, I’m just gonna call it quits.”

Lewis was a late-night TV staple for decades. His other acting roles included co-starring opposite Jamie Lee Curtis in the ABC series “Anything But Love”, as well as his role as Prince John in “Mel Brooks’ Robin Hood: Men In Tights.” He most recently appeared in Season 12 of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” currently airing on HBO, and shared that longtime friend and show creator Larry David made accommodations for his illness while filming the final season. Lewis told Vanity Fair earlier this month: “I’ve got to tell you how he took care of me this year. The cast and a crew — just as I’m diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease—made sure that everything was right for me on the set. They assigned a third AD to me [to clear the path]. ‘Richard is coming!’ Everybody was so lovely on the set. It was all really heartwarming.”

Comedy Central named Lewis one of the top 50 stand-up comedians of all time and he was included in GQ magazine’s list of the “20th Century’s Most Influential Humorists.”  Lewis is survived by his wife Joyce Lapinsky, whom he married in 2005.

Editorial credit: s_bukley / Shutterstock.com

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Entertainment Daypop

Adele pauses Las Vegas residency due to health issues

Adele attends The BRIT Awards 2022 at The O2 Arena on February 08^ 2022 in London^ England.

Adele is being forced to pause her Las Vegas residency show due to health concerns.  The 35-year-old postponed dates of her Weekends with Adele residency show at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in March, posting on X saying: “I love you, I’ll miss you like mad and I’m sorry for the inconvenience x”

A statement read: “Sadly I have to take a beat and pause my Vegas residency. I was sick at the end of the last leg and all the way through my break. I hadn’t quite gotten the chance to get back to full health before shows resumed and now I’m sick again, and unfortunately it’s all taken a toll on my voice. And so on Doctors orders I have no choice but to rest thoroughly. The remaining 5 weekends of this leg are being postponed to a later date. We are already working out the details and you will be sent the information asap.”  The shows affected were to take place March 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29 and 30.

Adele first launched her Weekends with Adele residency show in 2022, announcing new dates in March 2023 and a final run of dates for 2024 in October. She said at the time: “This residency, these shows have changed my life. I desperately needed to fall back in love with performing live again, and I have. I needed to reconnect with my songs and remember what they mean to me, and I have! Being on stage over the last year so up close and personal with an audience again after all these years has been a truly extraordinary restorative experience that I’ll never forget.”

Editorial credit: Fred Duval / Shutterstock.com

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News Daypop

Macy’s shutting down 150 stores by 2026; will expand luxury brands

Macy's Department Store. Macy's^ Inc. is one of the Nation's Premier Omnichannel Retailers Indianapolis; February 2017

Retail giant Macy’s shared in a press release on Tuesday that they will be shutting down up to 150 locations over the next two years.  Macy’s statement said it would be “focusing resources by closing approximately 150 underproductive locations, including approximately 50 by the end of the fiscal year.”

While some branded locations will be shut down, the company plans to keep investing in its 350 other locations. Macy’s CEO Tony Spring said: “We are making the necessary moves to reinvigorate relationships with our customers through improved shopping experiences, relevant assortments and compelling value. A bold new chapter serves as a strong call to action. it challenges the status quo to create a more modern Macy’s Inc.”

The company said it would be “prioritizing investment in approximately 350 go-forward locations and the continued expansion of small-format stores,” and will continue to invest in its subsidiary outlets, including Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury, which the company says have been “outperformers within the Macy’s Inc. portfolio across the broader luxury landscape.”

]The company plans to build out 15 new Bloomingdale’s stores and at least 30 new Bluemercury stores, along with roughly 30 Bluemercury remodels, over the next three years.

Editorial credit: Jonathan Weiss / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Country Daypop

Jon Pardi and Luke Bryan share video for ‘Cowboys and Plowboys’

Jon Pardi performs onstage during the "All Time High" tour at the Paramount on January 16^ 2016 in Huntington^ New York.

Jon Pardi and Luke Bryan are sharing the video for their hit collaboration, “Cowboys and Plowboys, ” written by Rhett Akins, Jacob Rice, and Cole Taylor. Bryan and Pardi teased news of the video with a live performance clip of the song taken from Luke Bryan’s annual Crash My Playa event in Mexico.

The video, filmed outside of Nashville and in California, was directed by Shaun Silva and features Rodeo Champions including Kyle Lockett, Bert McGill, Dallas Owen, Dakota Eldridge, Jordan Ketscher, Shelby Cole, Jaylee McGill, and Wayce McGill.

Take a look at the video for ‘Cowboys and Plowboys’ – here.

Editorial credit: Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Country Daypop

Tim McGraw embarking on 2024 ‘Standing Room Only Tour’ with special guests

Tim McGraw at the Academy of Country Music Awards 2017 at T-Mobile Arena on April 2^ 2017 in Las Vegas^ NV

Tim McGraw will launch his 2024 Standing Room Only Tour this March, and will have a wide array of  supporting artists joining him on the road.   Among his opening acts will be Abby Anderson, Heartwreckers, Randall King, Landon Parker, Peytan Porter, Restless Road, Track45, Timothy Wayne, and The Woods on select dates.  Grammy winning, singer-songwriter Carly Pearce was previously announced as McGraw’s special guest.

Produced by Live Nation and presented by Sports Illustrated), the Standing Room Only Tour kicks-off March 14th, hitting arenas across 45 cities. Planet Fitness, home of the Judgement Free Zone, will join the tour as the sponsor of the McGraw Mobile Gym.

For tickets and other information, head to McGraw’s website.

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

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Entertainment Daypop

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs sued for sexual harassment and assault by record producer

LOS ANGELES - JUN 26: Sean Combs at the 2022 BET Awards at Microsoft Theater on June 26^ 2022 in Los Angeles^ CA

In a new lawsuit, Sean “Diddy” Combs has been accused of sexual assault by a former employee. Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones, a former producer and videographer for Diddy, filed the lawsuit in New York federal court alleging that Combs sexually harassed, drugged and threatened him for more than a year. Jones produced nine songs on Combs’ recent ‘Love’ album from September 2022 to November 2023; he is seeking $30 million in damages.

According to the 73-page lawsuit, Combs’ adult son, Justin; his chief of staff, Kristina Khorram; Universal Music Group CEO Sir Lucian Grainge; and former Motown Records CEO Ethiopia Habtemariam are also named as defendants. Jones said that while working on the ‘Love’ project, he lived with the Diddy, 54, in various U.S. cities and also also vacationed with him outside of the country. Jones claims that during this time, he “witnessed, experienced, and endured many things that went far beyond his role as a producer on the Love album.”

Jones alleges that due to his role as a videographer, he was “required to constantly record” Diddy, and “as a result, Mr. Jones has secured HUNDREDS of hours of footage and audio recordings of Mr. Combs, his staff, and his guests engaging in serious illegal activity .. throughout his time living with Mr. Combs, Mr. Jones was the victim of constant unsolicited and unauthorized groping and touching” by Mr. Combs. Jones also alleges that on Thanksgiving Day in 2022, the female cousin of Yung Miami (Combs’ girlfriend at the time), sexually assaulted him as well “in the presence of Mr. Combs and his staff.”

Shawn Holley, Combs’ lawyer, responded in a statement: “Lil Rod is nothing more than a liar who filed a $30 million lawsuit shamelessly looking for an undeserved payday. His reckless name-dropping about events that are pure fiction and simply did not happen is nothing more than a transparent attempt to garner headlines. We have overwhelming, indisputable proof that his claims are complete lies. Our attempts to share this proof with Mr. Jones’ attorney, Tyrone Blackburn, have been ignored, as Mr. Blackburn refuses to return our calls. We will address these outlandish allegations in court and take all appropriate action against those who make them.”

A rep for Justin Combs told TMZ, “Justin Combs categorically denies these absurd allegations. They are all lies! This is a a clear example of a desperate person taking desperate measures in hopes of a pay day. There will be legal consequences for ALL defamatory statements made about the Combs family.”

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com