Month: April 2025

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Country Daypop

‘An Evening with Elton John and Brandi Carlile’ concert special airing April 6 on CBS

Brandi Carlile at the Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium Yellow Brick Road Event at Dodger Stadium on November 20^ 2022 in Los Angeles^ CA

CBS announced that the new concert special “An Evening with Elton John and Brandi Carlile” will air April 6th at 8 p.m. EDT, and stream live for Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers. The show will be available on-demand the next day on Paramount+.

Filmed March 26 at the Palladium Theatre in London, the one-hour special will feature live performances and a look at their upcoming album, Who Believes In Angels? (set for release April 4).  John, 77, and Carlile, 43, will also perform some of their individual songs and classics from John’s discography, with Carlile sharing an unreleased track.

In addition, a press release states that John and Carlile invite “the audience into an intimate sit-down conversation on stage that will pull back the curtain on their 20-year friendship, the profound journey behind their latest collaboration and share intimate footage from their process.”

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

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Entertainment Daypop

Lawsuit against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs dismissed after accuser refuses to reveal identity

Sean Combs^ Diddy^ P. Diddy^ is an American rapper.He remains imprisoned at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Centre

Sean “Diddy” Combs’ had a small win in civil court after one of the lawsuits accusing him of sexual assault was dismissed by a judge due to the plaintiff’s decision not to reveal her identity.

Per PEOPLE, on Monday, March 31, 2025, a federal judge tossed the case after the plaintiff did not newly file a complaint under her real identity. The woman had sued Combs in the Southern District of New York under the name ‘Jane Doe’ in October 2024, accusing him of assaulting her at a party in 1995. The woman was represented by Tony Buzbee, a high-profile Houston attorney who previously announced he was representing hundreds of people accusing Combs of sexual misconduct. Buzbee said in a statement: “In this particular case, Jane Doe opted not to proceed. There is a lot of fear amongst these plaintiffs. I thus can’t blame her. These are tough cases and they are many times re-traumatizing for those who pursue them. Each case stands on its own merit. This woman chose not to proceed and subject herself to the media circus and the perceived danger she felt. We have to respect that.”

U.S. District judge Lewis J. Liman wrote in her ruling: “On March 6, 2025, the Court denied Plaintiff’s motion to proceed anonymously and ordered her to file a complaint in her own name by March 20, 2025, or the case would be dismissed. As of [March 3], Plaintiff has not filed a complaint in her own name, nor has she sought an extension of time to do so. Accordingly, the case is dismissed.”

Combs’ legal team said in a statement: “Today a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed against Mr. Combs by Texas attorney Anthony Buzbee and his local counsel Antigone Curis on behalf of an anonymized plaintiff. This is now the second case brought by these attorneys against Mr. Combs that has been dismissed in its entirety. It will not be the last. For months, we have seen case after case filed by individuals hiding behind anonymity, pushed forward by attorneys more focused on media headlines than legal merit. The other claims, like the one dismissed today, also will not hold up in a court of law.”

Combs has been named a defendant in several dozen lawsuits accusing him of misconduct, and is also facing criminal charges following a September indictment on federal sex crimes, including sex trafficking and racketeering. He has pleaded not guilty, and denied any wrongdoing.

Combs remains behind bars in Brooklyn after being denied bail, with his criminal trial set to begin on May 5.

Editorial credit: bella1105 / Shutterstock.com

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News Daypop

3 U.S. soldiers found dead, 1 still missing after training mission in Lithuania

Pabrade Lithuania A Leopard 2A7 main battle tank is captured in action^ firing its main cannon during a live-fire exercise. 10-13 - 2020

Military officials said Monday that the bodies of three U.S. Army soldiers — who went missing in Lithuania during a training exercise last week after their armored vehicle sank in a body of water — have been found. Search and recovery efforts were ongoing to locate a fourth missing soldier.

The soldiers had been deployed to Lithuania in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve, and were permanently stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia. Lithuanian armed forces and law enforcement worked alongside them during last week’s training exercise. The Army later shared in a statement that the soldiers’ identities were being withheld pending notification of their next of kin.

The soldiers, assigned to the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, went missing the morning of March 25 after their M88A2 Hercules armored recovery vehicle became submerged in a peat bog during a mission to repair and tow an immobilized tactical vehicle. The submerged armored recovery vehicle was found by the Army and Lithuanian authorities last Wednesday; in an update from over the weekend, the Army said the vehicle was under at least 15 feet of water, clay-like mud and silt. Their 63-ton armored vehicle was removed from the peat bog early Monday morning.

Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, 3rd Infantry Division commanding general, said in a statement: “our hearts are heavy with a sorrow that echoes across the whole Marne Division, both forward and at home. We stand in grief with the families and loved ones of these extraordinary ‘Dogface Soldiers’ during this unimaginable time.”

Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nausėda expressed his condolences to President Trump and the United States in a post on social platform X. “It is with deep sadness and sorrow that I received the news of the tragic loss of three U.S. soldiers during a US-led training exercise in Lithuania. The search and rescue operation will continue until the fourth soldier is found. @realDonaldTrump, Lithuania mourns together with the American nation. Please accept my heartfelt condolences, as well as those of the Lithuanian people, to you, the loved ones of those who lost their lives, and all the people of the United States of America. During this difficult time, our thoughts and prayers are with you.”

Editorial credit: Karolis Kavolelis / Shutterstock.com

Categories
News Daypop

Online mortgage company Rocket to acquire Mr. Cooper in all-stock $9.4 billion deal

ROCKET Mortgage Fieldhouse^ in the heart of downtown Cleveland^ Ohio. Cleveland^ Ohio

The financial technology platform Rocket Companies — , which includes real estate, title and personal finance businesses, and mortgages under its umbrella — has acquired the mortgage company Mr. Cooper Group Inc. in an all-stock deal valued at $9.4 billion.  The acquisition of Mr. Cooper by Rocket creates an entity that will represent nearly 20% of all mortgages in the United States.

Per AP News: Rocket said Monday that the purchase of Mr. Cooper Group Inc. will create a business representing one in every six mortgages in the United States and give it almost 7 million additional clients. The deal will boost loan volumes, while lowering client acquisition costs; with Rocket stating in a press release that “it will bring its industry-leading mortgage recapture capabilities to a combined servicing book of $2.1 trillion across nearly 10 million clients, representing one in every six mortgages in America.”

The move comes just weeks after Rocket acquired real estate listing company Redfin in an all-stock deal worth $1.75 billion.. The acquisitions of Mr. Cooper and Redfin will allow Rocket to speed up its AI-powered platform “and remove the friction and complexities plaguing today’s homebuying process,” according to the release.

The combined company will see Mr. Cooper Group Chairperson and CEO Jay Bray become President and CEO of Rocket Mortgage, who will work under Rocket CEO Varun Krishna. Bray said in a statement: “By combining Mr. Cooper and Rocket, we will form the strongest mortgage company in the industry, offering an end-to-end homeownership experience backed by leading technology and grounded in customer care.”

Rocket shareholders will own approximately 75% of the combined company, while Mr. Cooper stockholders will own about 25%. The combined company’s board will have 11 members, with nine being from Rocket and two from Mr. Cooper.

Editorial credit: Adam McCullough / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Entertainment Daypop

See Adam Sandler in the new trailer for ‘Happy Gilmore 2’

Adam Sandler attends the 2nd Annual Cam For A Cause Gala. Hollywood CA USA - June 1^ 2023

Netflix dropped a teaser trailer for the highly anticipated sequel to Adam Sandler’s classic comedy Happy Gilmore, available on the streaming service beginning on July 25.

The newest trailer features Sandler and several other actors from the first movie reprising their roles — including Christopher McDonald as Shooter McGavin, Julie Bowen as Virginia Venit and Ben Stiller as Hal. The trailer also gives viewers a glimpse of Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio (otherwise known as musician Bad Bunny) who joins a cast which also includes Conor Sherry, Ethan Cutowsky, Maxwell Jacob Friedman, Philip Fine Schneider, Blake Clark, and Sandler’s daughters, Sadie and Sunny.

In addition, real-life golfers including Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau and John Daly are featured, with other figures from the sports world confirmed (or rumored) to appear in the flick– including Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, former NFL running back Reggie Bush, WWE Superstar Becky Lynch and All Elite Wrestling star MJF.

An official description of the new film reads: “At the end of the original Happy Gilmore, Sandler’s titular character was finally at rest after a long, strenuous season of golf…He showed the golf snobs who’s boss, saved his grandmother’s house, and returned home at last.”

Happy Gilmore 2 arrives on Netflix July 25; see the trailer – HERE.

Editorial credit: Michael Mattes / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Entertainment Daypop

NBC renews Reba McEntire’s ‘Happy’s Place’ for Season 2

Reba McEntire at the NBCUniversal TCA Press Tour at the Langham Hotel on July 14^ 2024 in Pasadena^ CA

NBC has greenlit a second season for Reba McEntire’s Happy’s Place, which premiered in October 2024. The series was initially picked up for 13 episodes, but NBC ordered five additional scripts last fall for a total of 18 episodes last season.

Happy’s Place reunites some of the cast of McEntire’s popular “Reba” series, premiered on October 18th, garnering ten million viewers across NBC and Peacock.  The series airs on Fridays at 8 pm ET/PT on NBC or the next day on Peacock.

In the series, McEntire plays Bobbie, who inherits her late father’s tavern, Happy’s Place, and discovers that she has a new business partner in Isabella (Belissa Escobedo) — a twentysomething half-sister she never knew she had. Melissa Peterman, Pablo Castelblanco, Tokala Black Elk and McEntire’s boyfriend Rex Linn stars.

Former Reba executive producers Michael Hanel and Mindy Schultheis are returning alongside Julie Abbott and McEntire. The series was written by Kevin Abbott (the showrunner for Reba from 2002-2007).

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Country Daypop

NBC renews Reba McEntire’s ‘Happy’s Place’ for Season 2

Reba McEntire at the NBCUniversal TCA Press Tour at the Langham Hotel on July 14^ 2024 in Pasadena^ CA

NBC has greenlit a second season for Reba McEntire’s Happy’s Place, which premiered in October 2024. The series was initially picked up for 13 episodes, but NBC ordered five additional scripts last fall for a total of 18 episodes last season.

Happy’s Place reunites some of the cast of McEntire’s popular “Reba” series, premiered on October 18th, garnering ten million viewers across NBC and Peacock.  The series airs on Fridays at 8 pm ET/PT on NBC or the next day on Peacock.

In the series, McEntire plays Bobbie, who inherits her late father’s tavern, Happy’s Place, and discovers that she has a new business partner in Isabella (Belissa Escobedo) — a twentysomething half-sister she never knew she had. Melissa Peterman, Pablo Castelblanco, Tokala Black Elk and McEntire’s boyfriend Rex Linn stars.

Former Reba executive producers Michael Hanel and Mindy Schultheis are returning alongside Julie Abbott and McEntire. The series was written by Kevin Abbott (the showrunner for Reba from 2002-2007).

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Country Daypop

Jelly Roll, Doechii, Pitbull, Chris Stapleton to perform at March Madness festival

Jelly Roll at the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 LA Premiere at TCL Chinese Theater IMAX on December 16^ 2024 in Los Angeles^ CA

Jelly Roll, Doechii and Pitbull are among the artists taking the stage at the 2025 NCAA March Madness Music Festival, in conjunction with the Division I Men’s Final Four.  A press release states that “the March Madness Music Festival provides fans access to unforgettable entertainment and activations they won’t want to miss.”

NCAA and TNT Sports Live Events announced the star-studded line-up of artists performing at the musical event, which will take place at Tower Park in San Antonio, Texas.

  • Pitbull will kick things off on April 4 to headline the AT&T Block Party, followed by performances by Doechii and R&B star Ravyn Lenae.
  • Jelly Roll will take the stage at Coca-Cola Live! on April 5, along with performance by T-Pain and Willow Avalon.
  • Chris Stapleton will close things out on April 6 as headliner of Capital One JamFest, with Benson Boone, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats and Brothers Osborne also set to take the stage at the event.

The Final Four will air on CBS, beginning with the National Semifinals on Saturday, April 5, and the National Championship on Monday, April 7.  For more details about the weekend and streaming availabilities, visit: ncaa.com/marchmadness/musicfest.

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com