Author: business

Amanda Bynes joins OnlyFans to ‘chat with my fans’

Amanda Bynes is interacting with her fans in a new way.

The former child star took to Instagram on Monday to share that she would be joining OnlyFans, but only to connect with her followers.

“I’m on onlyfans now! Disclaimer: I’m doing onlyfans to chat with my fans through dm’s. I won’t be posting any sleazy content,” she wrote on her Instagram story. “Excited to join.”

OnlyFans is an internet content subscription service that has gained a reputation for NSFW content. The platform has become synonymous with the adult entertainment industry and sexual content, but stars from Bella Thorne to “The Sopranos” star Drea de Matteo have made headlines for using the platform, where creators can earn money from users – or “fans” – who pay a monthly membership fee to access their exclusive content.

In late 2023, Bynes, 39, released a podcast with friend and biochemist Paul Sieminski, which ended after one episode with tattoo artist Dahlia Moth. She said at the time that the pair planned to “interview our friends, and then we’re hoping to take it mainstream and interview celebrities and artists.”

Drake Bell reminisces on former Nick co-star Amanda Bynes: A ‘dynamite force of nature’

Outside of her brief stint as a podcast host, Bynes has largely stayed out of the spotlight in the past decade. The “Amanda Show,” “Hairspray” and “What a Girl Wants” actress has not received any acting credits since 2010’s “Easy A.” During this time, Bynes also began making headlines for her personal struggles.

In 2013, Bynes was placed on a psychiatric hold after having a public breakdown that included a series of legal troubles and outlandish appearances. Her mother was then granted a conservatorship over the actress, which remained in place until 2022. Bynes was reportedly placed on a 72-hour psychiatric hold in 2023 following a canceled appearance at the pop culture convention 90s Con.

Concerns arise about Amanda Bynes: A look back on her career, mental health journey

Late last month, Bynes’ former “The Amanda Show” co-stars Drake Bell and Josh Peck discussed their fellow Nickelodeon alum.

Bell and Peck reunited for a candid interview on the latter’s podcast “Good Guys” podcast about their friendship, the documentary series “Quiet on Set” and their relationship with Bynes today.

Bell fondly recalled Bynes’ charisma as a young performer, likening her to Jennifer Aniston’s breakout “Friends” character Rachel Green. “She was the biggest thing on the planet to me,” he said.

“All I’ve ever experienced with Amanda was just like this dynamite force of nature when it comes to talent,” Bell told Peck. “Watching her was like watching Carol Burnett, was like watching Tracey Ullman.”

When asked if he’s stayed in touch with Bynes over the years, Bell revealed the former child actors reconnected via text message around 2017 after Bell had seen media coverage of Bynes. Peck added that he runs into the “She’s the Man” star “every two to three years.”

Contributing: Cydney Henderson, USA TODAY

April 16, 2025
Ellen Pompeo won’t leave ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ says it makes ‘no sense’

If the seemingly never-ending seasons of “Grey’s Anatomy” are the internet’s running joke, Ellen Pompeo is taking that punchline to the bank.

The series’ seminal star, Pompeo has led a rotating cast of characters as they battle medical emergencies (and plenty of personal drama) at Seattle Grace Hospital for 22 seasons. In a recent interview with El País, the actress said she has no plans of leaving anytime soon.

“That would make no sense,” she said in the article published Sunday. “Emotionally or financially. The show was streamed more than a billion times in 2024. More than a billion times.”

Why Ellen Pompeo feared her latest television role could be ‘Cancel City’

Among the best-paid actresses in Hollywood, Pompeo, who plays the show’s namesake Meredith Grey, said she’s at peace with the choice she’s made to embody one character for a long time rather than many. When she decided to reduce the number of episodes she starred in several seasons back, the show allowed her to create some much-needed balance in her life.

“I’ve been doing it for 20 years, so it was time to step away,” Pompeo told El País. “I have three children and I love spending time with them and I love being involved in their lives. I’m very lucky to be able to get to work sometimes and take time off. I have a nice balance in my life.”

She added, though, that a recent role in the mini-series “Good American Family,” which she also produced, was a welcome challenge.

Hulu’s Natalia Grace series ‘Good American Family’ is pure exploitation: Review

“‘Grey’s’ has other challenges,” Pompeo, 55, told USA TODAY in a recent interview about the role. “But I really wanted something that really challenged me and to see if I have what it takes.”

“I’ve been doing the same thing for 20 years,” she added. “And if I fall on my face, I fall on my face. This was something that I could put 200% of my effort into and let’s just see what happens.”

“Good American Family,” a true crime drama streaming on Hulu, sees Pompeo play the mother of an adoptive child with a rare form of dwarfism who begins to wonder if her daughter is actually an adult posing as a child. Based on a true story, the series chronicles a tragic and sordid tale and offers Pompeo the chance to play the villain.

Pompeo told El País that maturity offers her a different side of Hollywood than was available as a young starlet.

“When you’re really young in Hollywood, you’re hired for your talent, but also for your beauty,” she said. “They’re not hiring you for your beauty at 50 years old, they’re hiring you for your complexity and your talent alone. Certainly, women are more complex and interesting as they get older, and so are the roles.”

April 16, 2025
Most influential stars named in exclusive first look
It’s the list to end all lists: The Time 100 is here.
A bonafide who’s-who of the entertainment, sports and political elite, the list serves as a quasi-yearbook superlatives list for the biggest movers and shakers in each industry. USA TODAY can exclusively reveal that this year’s group includes Hollywood favorites like Danielle Deadwyler, Daniel Dae Kim and Jon M. Chu, along with trailblazing athletes like Jalen Hurts, Simone Biles and Serena Williams.

Here’s an early look at this year’s honorees − and, in signature Time 100 fashion, some words of praise written about them by other notable names.

Michelle Yeoh thinks Jon M. Chu is a ‘baby genius’

You’ve definitely seen a Jon M. Chu film. The director behind blockbuster hits like “Wicked,” “In the Heights” and “Crazy Rich Asians,” Chu’s fingerprint on pop culture is inarguable.

Michell Yeoh, who starred in both “Wicked” and “Crazy Rich Asians,” says the director “sees into the heart of things.”

“He’s a visionary, so he knows what he wants, but he always listens,” she writes in her Time 100 tribute. “To this baby genius, who I’m proud to call a friend and an honorary son all at once, I will always be eternally grateful.”

Regina King praises Danielle Deadwyler

Danielle Deadwyler, among this year’s Time honorees, is a “captivating” actress, Regina King writes in her blurb for the magazine, professing that “her eyes evoke something different and riveting with every role she plays.”

Deadwyler first gained critical acclaim for her role in the 2021 Western “The Harder They Fall,” in which she co-starred with King, before going on to nab Critic’s Choice and BAFTA nominations for her performances in “Till” and “The Piano Lesson.”

“Danielle doesn’t see anything as small when it comes to acting: every moment has a meaning. It’s been a joy to see how much range she has,” writes King.

Daniel Dae Kim’s acting, activism inspires J.J. Abrams

When Daniel Dae Kim “combines his talent, skill, and humanity as an advocate for equality, he becomes a force of nature,” writes director J.J. Abrams, who directed Kim in network TV drama “Lost” and calls his career “rare.”

“But even rarer is a willingness to use success not just for oneself, but for others.”

With Kim’s decision to walk away from his hit series “Hawaii 5-0” when he discovered a pay discrepancy with white co-stars, and his advocacy in 2021 for Asian American communities, Abrams lauded the actor’s ability to stand up for what is right even at “personal cost.”

Serena Williams makes Time 100 list again

Serena Williams was already considered the G.O.A.T, long before she danced on Drake’s (metaphorical) grave during Kendrick Lamar’s rousing Super Bowl halftime show.

An investor, athlete and activist, this is not Williams’ first time being featured on the Time 100. “Even as she’s moved away from professional tennis, Serena continues to be impactful,” fellow athlete Allyson Felix writes in a heartfelt tribute.

Felix reveals Williams’ candidness about a difficult pregnancy and return to competition inspired her own comeback story. “She continues to show that we, as athletes, are so far from one dimensional.”

How Olympians Simone Biles, Léon Marchand are changing sports

Simone Biles has remade gymnastics (several stunts are named after her), and “faced — and withstood — mounting expectations, pressures, and adversity, which seem to intensify each year,” fellow Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman writes.

Biles “has embraced her vulnerability, while refusing to let it define or limit her.” She returned to the 2024 Olympics with a gold-winning performance, after walking away from competition in 2020, citing mental health concerns.

“Simone has changed lives by bringing mental health and athlete safety to the forefront,” Raisman writes. “But her greatest legacy may be ensuring a better future for those who follow.”

And fellow 2024 Olympic Games competitor, French swimmer (and world record holder) Léon Marchand, shocked the world this summer, nabbing four gold medals.

“The crowd would roar each time his head broke the surface of the water,” writes Olympian Summer McIntosh. “To be able to do that under the pressure of a home crowd is nothing short of sensational.”

British singer Myles Smith, K-pop ‘icon’ Rosé, Irish musician Hozier make sweet music for Time 100

Rosé, once a member of K-pop collective Blackpink, proves that a solo career can be just as successful.

“She’s such a dynamic performer and songwriter, and I think it’s incredible that she’s able to captivate arenas full of people as both a member of the biggest girl group in the world and also as a solo artist,” writes friend and actress Lily Collins. “She’s basically the definition of an icon and a boss.”

Fellow musician Hozier is captivating audiences as well – especially with the yell he lets out during his guest spot on Noah Kahan’s “Northern Attitude.”

Kahan believes in the “magic” of the Irish musician, best known for his soulful tenor and a masterful blend of folk and blues. “Hozier had me believing from the first note,” he writes. “His music became the barometer for my own: How can I make a song feel like an extension of my soul, the way Hozier does?”

And British singer-songwriter Myles Smith has charmed fans with his balladry on tracks like “Stargazing and “Blink Twice.”

“Myles sees music as a limitless form of expression—and something meant to be shared with everyone,” writes country crooner and “Blink Twice” collaborator Shaboozey, calling Smith “a singular talent” who “proves singer-songwriter music is still alive in the age of Top 40.”

Reese Witherspoon couldn’t stop reading Amy Griffin’s story

Amy Griffin, a venture capitalist-turned-author, pulled the curtain back on her own abuse in the buzzy 2025 book “The Tell,” which recounts a woman’s pursuit of the truth about her own story.

“I watched as she bravely reached into the deepest parts of herself and, after gaining access to repressed memories of abuse she faced as a child, embarked on an incredible journey of discovery, grief, and healing,” writes Reese Witherspoon, who chose Griffin’s memoir as part of her book club.

Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier, Jalen Hurts are committed to shining in sports

Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, both certified WNBA stars at a time when the league itself is enjoying growing success, share a Time 100 slot. The pair are co-founders of Unrivaled, a women’s 3-on-3 professional basketball league.

Time honoree and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts used a 2023 Super Bowl loss to compel him to a resounding 2025 win, baseball icon Derek Jeter writes in his tribute, adding that Hurts’ decision to set his phone lock screen as a photo of himself walking off the field post-loss demonstrated a commitment to change.

“Sometimes people win, then exhale. Jalen is not exhaling. He’s embracing the next challenge.”

Who’s on the Time 100 list?

Danielle Deadwyler (tribute written by Regina King)

Daniel Dae Kim (tribute written by J.J. Abrams)

Jalen Hurts (tribute written by Derek Jeter)

Léon Marchand (tribute written by Summer McIntosh)

Serena Williams (tribute written by Allyson Felix)

Simone Biles (tribute written by Aly Raisman)

Myles Smith (tribute written by Shaboozey)

Rosé (tribute written by Lily Collins)

Hozier (tribute written by Noah Kahan)

Jon M. Chu (tribute written by Michelle Yeoh)

Amy Griffin (tribute written by Reese Witherspoon)

Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier (tribute written by Alex Morgan)

See the full Time 100 List

Follow this link to see the full Time 100 list. The new issue will hit newsstands on Friday, April 18.
April 16, 2025
Katy Perry tour essentials revealed: Meditation, snacks and espresso

In USA TODAY’s The Essentials, celebrities share what fuels their lives, whether it’s at home, on set or on the road.

As she prepares to embark on her first world tour in seven years, Katy Perry needs to gather a few performance prep necessities before hitting the road.

“Actually, my rider isn’t as crazy as some people think,” the space-voyaging superstar says of the requests she makes when performing at a venue.

Perry’s Lifetimes Tour kicks off in Mexico City on April 23, over a week after her historic Blue Origin space flight with an all-female crew that included Gayle King and Lauren Sánchez.

Before she goes on stage, Perry revealed in a recent sit-down with USA TODAY, her routine skews “California crunchy.” But the night doesn’t end after the “California Gurls” singer leaves the stage; as a self-professed “night owl,” she also has some favorite post-concert activities that might surprise you.

From transcendental meditation to online shopping, these are the pop star’s must-haves for touring.

Deep cuts, a changing ‘special section’: Katy Perry reveals what to expect on her new tour

Katy Perry reveals her ‘California crunchy’ Lifetimes Tour necessities

As she kicks off her Lifetimes Tour, Katy Perry dished on the snacks she eats before going on stage and the necessity of meditating as a mother.

Katy Perry’s favorite tour snacks are ‘California crunchy’

Perry’s snack choices in her green room are “really California crunchy” and “very Santa Barbara,” an ode to her hometown.

“It’s literally, like, avocados, Himalayan salt for the avocados, Bragg apple cider vinegar, Siete chips with a little hint of lime, OK? (And) hummus,” she says.

But Perry — whose tour will have her ping-ponging from North America to Oceania and back home over the next few months — is soliciting recommendations for local favorites, including breakfast burrito places.

“I go out into the world; we ride bikes to the venue, we seek out the local things that people love and we want all of those submissions. So please — especially if they’re tailored for a 5 year old,” she says. “Please tell me where the best breakfast burrito is.”

Meditation is a must for performing — and parenting

Perry promises her concert will be like “Disneyland on wheels,” but things behind the scenes will likely be a calm before the storm.

“We’re pretty mellow backstage,” she says. “We get to learn meditation before we go on tour, and I bring that transcendental meditation to everybody on tour if they want it. And then we do it at 6 p.m. before every show — and what a vibe it creates.”

Meditation gives her “so much energy, it’s wild,” says Perry, who wrapped her high-energy “Play” Las Vegas residency in 2023. “We do the meditation and then we always do our circle and that’s really the extent of it.”

Meditation is not only for preparing for the stage but is also her secret “hack for mothering, too.”

A new addition to tour life this time around is her 4½-year-old daughter with Orlando Bloom, Daisy Dove Bloom. Perry is “excited that I get to bring her around the world on my first world tour with her,” but it’ll also be an adjustment.

“Your sleep completely changes after you become a parent. And to get through that, I have meditated my way through being a mom,” Perry says.

Katy Perry downs espresso before going on stage, online shops to wind down

Show prep might involve meditating and hanging out in yoga poses, like a lounging lizard, but it also means going from zero to 100 fast. Before she heads out on stage, Perry’s routine involves a “double espresso at 8 o’clock,” then it’s curtains up.

“Look, it takes me a little while to wind down because I have to really rev up. And I’ll find (the post-show routine) pretty unique because I am getting up earlier now being a mom,” Perry says.

“But like anyone else, I’m adding to cart (online shopping). I am getting all the domestic stuff done. Checking in. I’m, like, on fire. That’s my work time when everyone’s asleep. I’m a night owl.”

April 16, 2025
Coachella payment plan? Gen Z opts in to afford concert ticket prices

Any concert fan can tell you ticket prices for live music have soared.

The average price jumped from $25.81 in 1996 to $135.92 in 2024, according to Pollstar. Look at the prices for this year’s biggest events: A weekend at Coachella starts around $600; Lollapalooza single-day tickets – the only ones still available – start at $189; the cheapest seats for Lady Gaga, Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar average around $200.

For older generations who hold the country’s wealth, that’s irksome. But for younger consumers who value experiences over material goods and are often swayed by a collective fear of missing out, that’s a costly problem.

For many Gen Zers, not going to a show is not an option, so they’re taking advantage of an old-fashioned solution: payment plans. Everyone from ticket brokers to festival organizers are seeing big growth in the number of buyers opting for what amounts to layaway for live music.

Concert payment plans may make life easier, but fans would rather ticket prices just went down

Music fans will find payment plans vary by event and seller, but in general they ask for a relatively small down amount to sign up, followed by spilt installments. Some plans are offered by the festival organizers, while others leverage outside vendors such as Klarna, Zip, Affirm and PayPal.

More than 60% of the estimated 80,000-plus attendees at Coachella – where Lady Gaga, Post Malone, Benson Boone, Green Day and Travis Scott were among the headliners – used the festival’s payment plan, according to Billboard.

And it’s not just for music festivals. Olivia Lima, 29, who runs New Jersey-based photography business Olivia Alysse Photo, is no stranger to financing concert fun. She’s been to hundreds of shows in her life, and says “music has just been something that’s gotten me though things in life – the good, the bad and ugly.”

That’s why she’s opted for payment plans to get her through the gates.

Last fall, Lima decided she wanted to attend the My Chemical Romance show slated for Philadelphia this summer. She says she was on Ticketmaster’s website the instant tickets went on sale, but within minutes was faced with prices far over face value as surge pricing went into effect.

“The cheapest ticket wound up being $273, including the payment plan fee, but I went for it,” she says. “It was around the holidays, and it just made it easier on my pocketbook.”

For Lima, the new approach to financing her fun is just something she’s come to accept, if grudgingly. “It annoys me with how inflated these things are now, compared to what they used to be,” she says.

Tickets are just one part of the cost of seeing live music: ‘Sometimes you have to pick and choose’

Understandable that many music fans are nostalgic for the glory days. Take Bruce Springsteen tickets: In 1976, fans could see him live for only $8 dollars – $44 adjusted for inflation. In 2024, the average ticket price for a Springsteen concert was $150.69, according to Pollstar.

Then consider that entry to a concert or music festival is just one piece of the overall cost that includes transportation, lodging, food and merch, and payment plans start to look even more appealing.

In the case of Coachella, plans required as little as $50 up front, with the remainder paid out over the months leading up to the festival. The service incurs a $41 fee, or about 8% of the base ticket price, which is far less than if the ticket were paid for on credit cards that typically have annual interest rates of 20%. If any payments are more than 10 days past due, the order is cancelled and the fan gets a credit for future events.

Most buy-now-pay-later lenders calculate payments based on credit score, which tend to be lower for Gen Zers, teens to 28-year-olds, compared to generations who have had time to build creditworthiness. Interest fees and late-payment fees vary by provider.

For photographer Lima, juggling payments is worth it in order to experience something truly transformational.

“With all the consumerism happening in our country, it’s hard to find those moments of community and spiritual connection that a lot of people look for,” she says. “For me, music helps me spiritually, not so much in a religious sense, but it helps me connect with myself and others. Festivals and concerts are places where all these people from all these walks of life who might not normally interact, meet up. There’s a touch of that magic.”

That said, Lima is skipping this summer’s festival season. She’s heading to Europe on vacation instead.

“You can’t do it all, and sometimes you have to pick and choose,” she says with a laugh. “But no, I’ll make sure I can keep going to concerts, one way or the other.”

Contributing: Sara Chernikoff, USA TODAY

April 16, 2025
Katy Perry reveals her 'California crunchy' tour essentialsCelebrities

Katy Perry reveals her ‘California crunchy’ tour essentialsCelebrities

April 16, 2025
‘Ransom Canyon:’ Release date, cast, how to watch new Western drama
Love, loss, and loyalty will collide beneath the crimson mesas of Texas Hill Country in Netflix’s new show “Ransom Canyon.”
The streaming platform’s upcoming Western drama, set in Texas, follows “three ranching family dynasties locked in a contest for control of the land, their lives and legacies,” which are “threatened by outside forces intent on destroying their way of life,” Netflix says about the upcoming series.

“As the battle to save Ransom wages on, a mysterious cowboy drifts into town, dredging up secrets from the past,” Netflix adds. “Vise tightening, Staten (Josh Duhamel) fights to protect the land he calls home, and the only love that can pull him back from the demons that haunt him.”

‘Ransom Canyon’ has lust, deceit, heartache, creator says

Series creator April Blair told Netflix’s Tudum that “Ransom Canyon” at its core “isn’t just a town, it’s an idea.”

“It’s the painful longing for your first love,” she said. “It’s the burning desire to protect your family. It’s cowboys and lovers, grifters and thieves. Lust, deceit, heartache, home … Ransom has it all.”

“I think people are going to fall in love with this little slice of Texas and the dramas and romances that we created there,” Blair added.

Here’s what to know about Netflix’s upcoming drama, including the premiere date, time and cast.

We’ve got room on the couch! Sign up for USA TODAY’s Watch Party newsletter for more recaps of your favorite shows.

When does ‘Ransom Canyon’ premiere?

“Ransom Canyon” will release on Netflix on Thursday, April 17 at 3 a.m. ET / midnight PT.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle

How to watch ‘Ransom Canyon’

All episodes of “Ransom Canyon” will be available to stream on Netflix on Thursday, April 17.

‘Ransom Canyon’ cast

Josh Duhamel as Staten Kirkland

Minka Kelly as Quinn O’Grady

James Brolin as Cap

Eoin Macken as Davis Collins

Lizzy Greene as Lauren Brigman

Lauren Glazier as Angie O’Grady

Garrett Wareing as Lucas Russell

Andrew Liner as Reid Collins

Marianly Tejada as Ellie Estevez

Jack Schumacher as Yancy Grey

Philip Winchester as Sheriff Dan Brigman

Watch the ‘Ransom Canyon’ trailer

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
April 16, 2025
David Foster called on Stephen Sondheim for ‘Boop! The Musical’

NEW YORK — Over his half-century career, David Foster has written and produced hits for every legend imaginable: Whitney Houston. Celine Dion. Chaka Khan. Madonna.

Now, the 16-time Grammy winner is adding a doe-eyed cartoon pinup to his inimitable list of divas. “Boop! The Musical” is a blissful, toe-tapping spectacle that imagines if Betty Boop (Jasmine Amy Rogers) left her black-and-white animated world for the colorful chaos of modern-day Manhattan. The kid-friendly Broadway comedy opened at the Broadhurst Theatre (235 W. 44^th Street) earlier this month, earning rave reviews for Rogers’ star-making turn and Foster’s eminently hummable score.

Composing “Boop!” was a “great new challenge,” says Foster, 75, who has scaled the Top 40 charts through his collaborations with Chicago, Kenny Loggins and Earth, Wind & Fire.

“I haven’t written hits in a couple decades now and I’m OK with that, because I’ve done other things,” Foster says. “With Broadway, it was so liberating not having that pressure of the radio, so you can literally write anything. You can start off slow, speed up in the middle, change keys, have a different character sing something – it’s really awesome.”

David Foster wrote to Stephen Sondheim about ‘Boop! The Musical’

Foster was first approached about “Boop!” 15 years ago by producer Bill Haber. The goal was “to write music that you couldn’t put a time frame on,” he explains, with numbers that feel both contemporary and of Betty’s 1930s heyday.

The first song Foster wrote for the musical was the swoony “Why Look Around the Corner,” performed by Betty and her trumpeter sweetheart Dwayne (Ainsley Melham). He initially met with Haber and lyricist Susan Birkenhead at a Steinway piano store, where he essentially auditioned for the job on the spot.

“Bill said, ‘What kind of feel would you give Betty Boop?’” Foster recalls. “I walked over to the piano and literally the chorus fell out. He was like, ‘You’re in,’ and that song survived all these years later.”

The entire score is “just so gorgeous,” Rogers says. “To get to sing David’s songs – especially his ballads – feels so magical.” Her current favorite is “My Hero,” an emotional duet between Betty and the precocious young Trisha (Angelica Hale), who looks up to the trailblazing flapper. “It’s so heartfelt and honest, and it’s got that beautiful melody where it just dances along.”

There’s also the dizzying second-act opener “Where is Betty?”, which riffs on the cartoon’s “boop-oop-a-doop” catchphrase. “I mean, how could you not get that in there? It’s perfect,” Rogers says with a laugh. “That song was a later addition, but it’s so catchy.”

Foster wrote more than four dozen songs for “Boop!”, which he eventually whittled down to 20. He turned to his friend, musician Chris Botti, for support on the show-stopping “I Speak Jazz.” “Smash” powerhouse Katharine McPhee, who is Foster’s wife, also lent her electrifying vocals to anthems such as “Portrait of Betty,” helping workshop new lyrics and melodies throughout the show’s development.

“I swear to God, this poor woman,” Foster jokes. Every day, “I’d be like, ‘Hey, get in here! I got to try this out!’ I bet you she sang 40 demos. It was a lot of work, but she was always there.”

Foster is perhaps proudest of Betty’s Act 1 “I want” song “Ordinary Day,” as the vivacious screen vixen longs for some respite from the flashing cameras and rabid admirers.

“As you well know, when I lay my hands on the piano, it’s schmaltzy,” Foster says good-naturedly. “My whole life has been schmaltzy – Rolling Stone called me the king of ‘bombastic pop kitsch.’ My stuff is soft, but ‘Ordinary Day’ is not soft. It has a couple musical twists that I even surprised myself with; there’s a twinge of irregularity to it.”

The song is Foster’s tribute of sorts to the late Stephen Sondheim, whom he emailed five years ago for advice on “Boop!”

“I said, Mr. Sondheim, you don’t know me, but I’m the guy who produced your song ‘Somewhere’ for Barbra Streisand,” Foster recalls writing. “I’m working on a musical now, and if there’s ever a chance to meet, I would love that. He wrote back, ‘David, don’t be so (expletive) modest, of course I know who you are. Let’s meet.’”

Although they never got the opportunity before Sondheim’s death in 2021, “I still thought it was pretty cool.”

Foster is hitting the road with Katharine McPhee, their 4-year-old son

“Boop!” recently recorded its cast album, and Foster hopes to soon get some major artists to cover the show’s signature tunes. Next up, he’s embarking on a summer tour around the U.S. with Botti and McPhee, which launches June 13 in Selbyville, Delaware. It’ll also double as a family road trip for McPhee and their son Rennie, 4.

“The best way to tour is by bus – the country folks got it right,” Foster says. “I talked to Tim McGraw, who was like, ‘Yeah, we just set up shop at every show, the kids run around and it’s great. You walk off stage and you’re in your house,’” rather than perpetually shuttling between hotels and airports.

The couple hopes to travel with Rennie as much as they can before he starts kindergarten next year. In the meantime, Foster is already hard at work on his next musical: an adaptation of Amy Bloom’s 2014 novel “Lucky Us.” His golden years pivot to theater is something that Foster once manifested in his 2019 documentary “Off the Record.”

“At the end, I walk through Shubert Alley and look up at all the Broadway posters,” Foster says. “The director goes, ‘So what do you want?’ And I say, ‘I want to be on Broadway one day.’ There’s something to be said for the vision board!”

April 16, 2025
Crossword Blog & Answers for April 16, 2024 by Sally Hoelscher
There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today’s puzzle before reading further! Base Coat
Constructor: Anna Gundlach

Editor: Anna Gundlach

What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle

EATER (26A: Food and dining culture website) When the website EATER first launched in 2005, it focused on restaurants in New York City. The website expanded to become a national site in 2009, and in 2013 EATER was acquired by Vox Media. EATER provides reviews of restaurants and is known for their maps showing recommendations of where to eat in certain cities.

PERU (64A: Nazca Lines country) The Nazca Lines are a group of geoglyphs (a type of land art) in the Nazca Desert in southern PERU. The Nazca Lines that have been discovered consist of over 700 geoglyphs covering an area of about 170 square miles. These lines were made between 500 BCE and 500 CE by people removing pebbles and making incisions in the desert floor. Some of the shapes are straight lines or geometric designs, while others are in the shapes of plants and animals. The original purpose of the Nazca Lines is unknown. The Nazca Lines have been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I did not know about the Nazca Lines, and I found it fascinating to learn about them.

Random Thoughts & Interesting Things

ALABAMA (4A: State “To Kill a Mocking bird” is set in) Harper Lee’s 1960 Pulitzer-Prize winning novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, is set in the fictional town of Maycomb, ALABAMA between the years 1933 to 1935.

LEBANON (15A: Beirut’s country) Beirut is the capital and largest city of LEBANON, a country in West Asia. Almost half of LEBANON’s population lives in Beirut.

NIN (17A: Author Anais) Anais NIN (1903-1977) began journalling at the age of eleven and continued the practice until she died. Many of her journals have been published. In addition to her journals, she also wrote novels, short stories, essays, and erotic literature.

DAD JOKE (20A: “I used to hate my beard, but then it grew on me,” e.g.) Ha! I am here for all the DAD JOKEs.

SPLAT (34A: Sound of pudding falling on the floor) If it were my pudding, that SPLAT would be following by the sound of sobbing.

EPIC (38A: Heroic saga such as 2-Down) and ILIAD (2D: Trojan War chronicle) Attributed to Homer, the ILIAD is an ancient Greek EPIC poem set during the 10-year siege of Troy known as the Trojan War. It depicts a fierce quarrel between a warrior named Achilles and King Agamemnon.

EURO (44A: Italian currency) Italy is one of the 20 member countries of the European Union that uses the EURO as its currency.

PANDA (61A: Black-and-white land mammal) and ORCA (63A: Black-and-white sea mammal) Lovely clue echo in these consecutive clues.

SANDO (3D: Katsu-___ (lunch item on Japanese milk bread)) Katsu-SANDO is a sandwich that originated in Japan. Although variations exist, the sandwich often consists of cutlets (katsu) between slices of Japanese milk bread.

ANCHO (8D: Dried poblano chili) Put another way, an ANCHO is to a poblano as a raisin is to a grape.

ANSWERS (10D: What solvers put in crosswords) Well, it’s always the goal to fill in the ANSWERS, anyway.

MEWED (13D: Sounded like a kitten) It’s been quite a few years since my cat, Willow, has MEWED like a kitten. Nowadays her meows are quite forceful, and she has a lot to say. I dug up a photo of Willow as a kitten. She has enjoyed sleeping on my lap since we first brought her home.

JOEY CHESTNUT (21D: Hot-dog eating world champion) JOEY CHESTNUT is a competitive eater. He has won the Annual Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, which is held in New York City, sixteen times. He holds the current record for most hot dogs and buns eaten at the contest, with 76 in 10 minutes (set in 2021). JOEY CHESTNUT also holds world records in other competitive eating categories, including apple pie 4.375 pies in eight minutes), Twinkies (121 in six minutes), chicken wings (182 wings in 30 minutes), and hard boiled eggs (141 in eight minutes).

CHAPPELL ROAN (23D: “Hot To Go!” singer-songwriter) “Hot to Go!” is a song from CHAPPELL ROAN’s 2023 album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. To promote the song, CHAPPELL ROAN created a dance for the song’s chorus that spells out the song’s title with a person’s arms (reminiscent of the Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.”).

FREIDA PINTO (25D: “Slumdog Millionaire” actress) The 2008 movie Slumdog Millionaire is loosely based on Vikas Swarup’s 2005 book Q & A. The movie follows the story of Jamal Malik (played by Dev Patel), an 18-year-old boy from the slums of Mumbai, who does surprisingly well on a TV quiz show. FREIDA PINTO portrays Latika, a girl who is also from the slums of Mumbai.

TRON (37D: 1982 sci-fi Disney film with a 2025 sequel) The 1982 movie TRON stars Jeff Bridges as a video game developer who is transported inside a mainframe computer and must interact with programs to escape. A sequel to the movie, TRON: Legacy, was released in 2010, and – as the clue informs us – another sequel, TRON: Ares is scheduled to be released in October of this year.

ACES (58D: High cards in Balatro) I wrote about the poker-themed video game Balatro last month. As in poker, ACES are the high cards in Balatro.

DOC (62D: The only “Snow White” dwarf whose name isn’t an adjective) The dwarfs of Snow White are making back-to-back puzzle appearances. Yesterday we saw SLEEPY clued as [Yawning friend of Happy and Sneezy].

A few other clues I especially enjoyed:

SANDAL TAN (47A: Evidence of wearing flip-flops on a sunny day)

DEEP (30D: “Whoa, that’s kinda mind-blowing”)

DIDN’T ASK (40D: “Your reply was unwanted and unneeded”)

Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis

JOEY CHESTNUT (21D: Hot-dog eating world champion)

CHAPPELL ROAN (23D: “Hot To Go!” singer-songwriter)

FREIDA PINTO (25D: “Slumdog Millionaire” actress)

BASE COAT: The BASE word of each vertical theme answer is a word used to describe a horse’s COAT: CHESTNUT, ROAN, and PINTO.

It’s a nice extra constraint that each of today’s theme answers is the name of a person. JOEY CHESTNUT was the first theme answer I filled in, but the theme didn’t click until I filled in CHAPPELL ROAN. Then I had a nice “Aha!” moment. Thank you, Anna, for this enjoyable puzzle.

For more on USA TODAY’s Crossword Puzzles
April 16, 2025
Game show host dies at 91

TV and radio host Wink Martindale, best known for helming the game shows “Gambit” and “Tic-Tac-Dough,” has died, according to reports. He was 91.

The former disc jockey, born Winston Conrad Martindale, died Tuesday in Rancho Mirage, California, while surrounded by his family, The Hollywood Reporter and the Los Angeles Times reported. A cause of death was not given.

USA TODAY has reached out to a representative for Martindale for comment.

Martindale, who previously hosted at the Memphis, Tennessee, station WHBQ, broke into the TV world with a hosting gig on the WHBQ-TV show “Mars Patrol,” a sci-fi series for children he led from 1953-1955.

After hosting the musical game shows “What’s This Song?” and “Words and Music” for NBC, Martindale became a household name when he was chosen by CBS to head its blackjack-themed series “Gambit” in 1972. He hosted the show’s original run through 1976 and later emceed a Las Vegas spinoff on NBC from 1980-1981.

Martindale also hosted the CBS revival of the NBC trivia game show “Tic-Tac-Dough” from 1978-1985. His other credits include “High Rollers” and “Headline Chasers,” the latter of which he created and co-produced with fellow TV host Merv Griffin.

Martindale was married to Sandy Ferra, who previously dated singer Elvis Presley. Martindale was also friends with the rock icon, with Presley appearing on the TV personality’s show “Teenage Dance Party” in 1956.

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Presley is “responsible for my marrying Wink,” Ferra said in a 2015 interview with Elvis Australia. “When (Martindale) said he was from Tennessee, I thought, ‘He must be a nice guy,’ because I loved the state, I loved all the guys, I loved everything in the state of Tennessee because Elvis was such a wonderful part of my life.”

Aside from his hosting prowess, Martindale scored a pop hit in 1959 with his rendition of the recitation song “The Deck of Cards.” The song peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100.

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Martindale was honored with a Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 2006.

Contributing: KiMi Robinson, USA TODAY

April 16, 2025