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  • Who won ‘The Traitors’? What to know about Season 3 finale, victors

    Who won ‘The Traitors’? What to know about Season 3 finale, victors

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    Warning: Major spoilers for the third season of “The Traitors” are ahead.

    The messiest show on TV has concluded its third season and fans finally know who won.

    “The Traitors” Season 3 finale picked right off from last week’s vicious cliffhanger, where fans were unclear whether Britney Haynes would betray her fellow “Big Brother” alum and traitor Danielle Reyes. And Britney did just that, voting out Danielle once again in a cinematic betrayal typically reserved for melodramas.

    The episode also revealed who won last week’s mission and had the power of “the seer,” a new twist giving someone the ability to see whether a player of their choice is a faithful or traitor. Britney ended up winning, so she invited Gabby Windey to a private meeting where “The Bachelorette” star unveiled she was a faithful to Britney, who already knew that.

    But rather than try to frame Gabby as a traitor, she told the group the truth, instead going after “Down to Earth” producer Dylan Efron. What ensued after was just as chaotic and dramatic as the rest of the season.

    Who won ‘The Traitors’ Season 3?

    Gabby Windey, Dylan Efron, Dolores Catania and Lord Ivar Mountbatten won “The Traitors” Season 3 as faithfuls. They are the largest batch of winners in the show’s three-season run.

    At the final roundtable the group unanimously banished Britney in a 4-1 vote. While she could not reveal her identity to the group, the faithfuls had finally banished every traitor.

    The group decided to end the game and successfully split the prize pot of $204,300.

    Who is Dylan Efron?

    Dylan Efron is an actor, producer, outdoor enthusiast and brother of “The Iron Claw” star Zac Efron.

    The 33-year-old recently produced the documentary series “Down to Earth with Zac Efron” and has previously worked as a stuntman in film production.

    Who is Dolores Catania?

    Dolores Catania, 54, is a philanthropist and entrepreneur best known for starring in “The Real Housewives of New Jersey.” The Paterson, New Jersey native is a mother to Gabby and Frankie Catania, both in their 20s.

    Who is Gabby Windey?

    Illinois native Gabby Windey, 34, is TV personality and newlywed, previously appearing on both “The Bachelor” Season 26 and “The Bachelorette” Season 19.

    She hosts the “Long Winded with Gabby Windey” podcast and was previously an NFL cheerleader for the Denver Broncos. During the finale episode, she said she would use the prize money for her wedding and revealed on Instagram Wednesday that she married comedian Robby Hoffman on Jan. 11.

    Who is Lord Ivar Mountbatten?

    Lord Ivar Mountbatten, 61, is a British aristocrat and geologist from London best known as the second cousin of King Charles III. He has been married to James Coyle since 2018.

    Who is the host of ‘The Traitors’?

    Scottish actor Alan Cumming has hosted all three seasons “The Traitors” (U.S.)

    Last year, he won the Emmy for best reality host for the show’s second season, which also took the award for the best reality competition program.

    “I am the host, but I’m playing a character of a host, very much so,” Cumming told USA TODAY in January. “I don’t even sound like that; I put on a funny accent as well as a look and tone. I don’t go around quoting Shakespeare all the time, and I certainly don’t boss people around. And I’m not so aggressive as this sort of stern castle daddy.”

    Where is ‘The Traitors’ filmed?

    “The Traitors” is filmed at the Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands.

    Who were the traitors in Season 3?

    There were a total of five traitors in Season 3: “Big Brother” finalist Danielle Reyes; “RuPaul’s Drag Race” winner Bob the Drag Queen; “Survivor” finalist Carolyn Wiger and “Survivor” winner “Boston” Rob Mariano.

    “Big Brother” contestant Britney Haynes began the game as a faithful before later being recruited as a traitor toward the season’s end.

    Who won ‘The Traitors’ Season 1 and 2?

    Four-time “Survivor” contestant Ciree Fields was the first person to win the U.S. version of “The Traitors” as a traitor. She left faithfuls Andie Thurmond and Quentin Jiles flabbergasted when she revealed her identity and won all the money.

    “The Challenge” contestants Trishelle Cannatella and CT Tamburello both won “The Traitors” Season 2 as faithfuls. The final four included “Below Deck” star Kate Chastain (a traitor) and “Shahs of Sunset” star Mercedes Javid (a faithful), who were both banished.

    Will there be “The Traitors” Season 4?

    Peacock has renewed “The Traitors” for both Season 4 and Season 5, Deadline reported in August.

    Where to watch ‘The Traitors’ Season 3

    All three seasons of “The Traitors,” as well as the two seasons each of “The Traitors UK” (hosted by Claudia Winkleman) and “The Traitors Australia” (hosted by Rodger Corser), are available to stream exclusively on Peacock.

    Subscriptions begin at $7.99 a month.

    Contributing: David Oliver

    We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

  • 'Queen of the Ring' chronicles life of wrestling legend Mildred BurkeMovies

    'Queen of the Ring' chronicles life of wrestling legend Mildred BurkeMovies

    ‘Queen of the Ring’ chronicles life of wrestling legend Mildred BurkeMovies

  • Hannah Berner apologizes for viral Megan Thee Stallion interview

    Hannah Berner apologizes for viral Megan Thee Stallion interview

    Hannah Berner is apologizing for a red carpet moment with Megan Thee Stallion that didn’t sit well with fans of the rapper.

    The comedian and “Summer House” alumna took to her Instagram Story on Thursday to address criticism she received for her nearly three-minute interview with the “Savage” and “Hot Girl Summer” musician at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday. Fans online criticized Berner because they thought the interaction with Megan on the red carpet showed racist microaggressions.

    “Interviewing Megan Thee Stallion was a dream of mine. I love her music and it’s my go to whenever I need to boost my confidence before a show. Looking back at the interview, I wish I used any other word except ‘fight’ to describe how her songs impact me,” Berner wrote.

    She continued, “It was a careless choice of words and though there was no ill intent, I recognize and acknowledge that what I said has a deeper meaning and I am so sorry to Megan. I appreciate everyone who brought this to my attention.”

    USA TODAY has reached out to Megan’s rep for comment.

    What happened during Hannah Berner and Paige DeSorbo’s interview with Megan Thee Stallion?

    Berner was among a group of hosts tasked with interviewing stars at one of the premier Oscars afterparties over the weekend. Halfway through the two-hour livestream, she and “Summer House” co-star – and Giggly Squad podcast co-host – Paige DeSorbo were joined by Megan on the red carpet.

    The interview started strong, with Berner complimenting Megan on her recent Amazon Prime documentary and saying she felt “so inspired” by the film.

    “I start my day with you and only you,” Giggly Squad podcast co-host Paige DeSorbo interjected as Berner asked a question about what Megan does for a confidence boost.

    Berner added on, “Your music has literally made me want — when I want to fight someone, I listen to your music.” She continued, saying, “When people are talking (expletive), I go, ‘Turn on Megan Thee Stallion!’”

    Megan seemingly attempted to pivot to a more positive note without missing a beat. She said, “You want to throw that fighting (expletive) out the window and you want to get cute and be a bad (expletive).”

    Megan took the questions in stride, but social media users took issue with the way the influencers spoke over Megan, as well as Berner’s characterization of the rapper’s music as violent.

    As TyLisa Johnson wrote for Poynter, “Lowkey ‘angry Black woman’ references in 2025? Please.”

    Johnson added, “I’ve been a fan of Megan Thee Stallion since around 2016, when she was a young college student freestyling in cars. She has never made me want to fight. She makes me want to dance, be more liberated, stand up for myself and own my womanhood.”

    One TikTok user, commenting on Vanity Fair’s one-minute clip from the interaction, wrote, “The racism is LOUD!”

    Several others disagreed with Berner’s interpretation of Megan’s musical themes, with one user commenting, “Meg was like ‘fight people? Girl, I make Bad Bih music. Do you see these nails? We don’t fight.’”

    Though the Megan The Stallion moment went viral, Berner and DeSorbo also spoke with other celebrities including Amy Poehler, Hailey Bieber and Jesse Eisenberg on the red carpet.

  • Kim Kardashian says sister Khloé helped pay for her first divorce

    Kim Kardashian says sister Khloé helped pay for her first divorce

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    The Kardashian sisters stick by each other through good times, hard times and sometimes divorce.

    Kim Kardashian was feeling nostalgic on the eve of sister Khloé Kardashian’s 40th birthday in a recent “Kardashians” episode, telling viewers about the time her younger sister helped partially finance her 2004 divorce from music producer Damon Thomas with her saved up piggy bank money.

    “When Khloé was like, just maybe four or five years old, she got this piggy bank that was like as tall as us and it was like a Coke bottle and we would put so much money in it,” the 44-year-old said in the episode. “And when I was getting my first divorce, I moved out and I had no money.”

    Khloé, who is four years younger than Kim, offered her the money from the Coke bottle without hesitation.

    “She was crying in my room, and I was just like, ‘Okay, I have this Coke bottle, like, let’s take what’s in here and let’s go to the bank and let’s cash it and let’s use this money for your divorce,’” Khloé said.

    ‘Mad insane:’ Internet reacts to 60-foot Kim Kardashian inflatable in Times Square

    Remembering Khloé’s gesture: ‘How could I not?’ Kim says

    The sisters spent the whole night counting the change from the Coke bottle, which contained “just enough” for a 23-year-old Kim to put the down payment on her apartment and pay her first and last month’s rent.

    “I gave her all that I got and hopefully helped her,” Khloé said.

    Kim, who never forgot what Khloé did for her, got her sister the same Coke bottle as a way to extend her gratitude to Khloé for the kind gesture all those years ago.

    “So, for her birthday, I found the same Coke bottle piggy bank and I filled it up and was like, ‘Thank you,’” Kim said.

    “She gave me her life savings at like 21 years old,” Kim said. “She couldn’t believe I remembered the Coke bottle and I was like ‘How could I not?’”

    How to watch ‘The Kardashians’

    The Kardashian-Jenner clan is back for Season 6 of popular reality television series “The Kardashians,” which premiered Feb. 6 on Disney+ and Hulu. New episodes are released every Thursday.

    The newest season follows the family’s new experiences, personal trials and achievements.

    “With uncertain futures and their past returning to haunt them, Kourtney, Kim, Khloé, Kendall, Kylie, and Kris will have to rely on each other as they navigate their roles as moms and businesswomen to overcome the obstacles that come with their increasingly complicated lives,” Hulu said in a news release.

    We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

    Contributing: Taylor Ardrey, USA TODAY

  • Dolly Parton on husband Carl Dean’s death, support from fans

    Dolly Parton on husband Carl Dean’s death, support from fans

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    Dolly Parton is speaking after the death of her husband.

    In a statement posted Thursday on Instagram, the country music legend thanked fans for their support in the days since husband Carl Thomas Dean died at age 82.

    “This is a love note to family, friends, and fans,” Parton wrote. “Thank you for all the messages, cards, and flowers that you’ve sent to pay your respects for the loss of my beloved husband Carl. I can’t reach out personally to each of you but just know it has meant the world to me.”

    She closed, “He is in God’s arms now and I am okay with that. I will always love you.”

    Parton shared news of her husband’s death on Monday. On her social media channels, the “9 to 5” singer said she and Dean “spent many wonderful years together,” and “words can’t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years,” adding, “Thank you for your prayers and sympathy.”

    Dolly Parton’s husband, Carl Dean, dead at 82: ‘Words can’t do justice’

    Parton and Dean, an asphalt paver, married in 1966. They did not share any children.

    Dean was notoriously private during his marriage to Parton, rarely appearing with her in public. According to her 1994 autobiography “Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business,” he declared after attending an awards show with her in 1966, “I love you, and I will support you in your career any way I can, but I am not going to any more of these wingdings.”

    But Parton spoke about her husband in interviews, and she told Knox News, part of the USA TODAY Network, in 2024, “There’s always that safety, that security, that strength. He’s a good man, and we’ve had a good life and he’s been a good husband.”

    Dolly Parton’s rare quotes on husband Carl Dean – plus what she said just before his death

    Dean also helped birth “Jolene,” one of Parton’s most famous songs. She told NPR in 2008 that the track was inspired by a bank teller who was flirting with her husband after they got married.

    “She got this terrible crush on my husband,” Parton said. “And he just loved going to the bank because she paid him so much attention. It was kinda like a running joke between us — when I was saying, ‘Hell, you’re spending a lot of time at the bank. I don’t believe we’ve got that kind of money.’ So it’s really an innocent song all around, but sounds like a dreadful one.”

    Contributing: Edward Segarra and Devarrick Turner

  • When is ‘Yellowstone’ Season 5, Part 2 on streaming? Where to watch

    When is ‘Yellowstone’ Season 5, Part 2 on streaming? Where to watch

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    Paramount’s hugely popular series “Yellowstone” wrapped up in December in a finale described as “bloody but happy” by USA TODAY’s Bryan Alexander.

    The highly anticipated finale drew 11.4 million viewers, according to data released by the Paramount Network.

    While the makers managed to tie loose ends in the final episode of Season 5, the future of “Yellowstone” is still somewhat unknown. Multiple reports have suggested that the series will continue with a Rip and Beth-focused spinoff, though Paramount, creator Taylor Sheridan, and none of the actors have confirmed whether the series will be returning.

    “Yellowstone” chronicles the Dutton family, owners of the largest ranch in the U.S., led by John Dutton, who was played by Kevin Costner before his departure before Season 5’s Part 2. The series, which has become one of the most popular shows on TV in recent years, follows the family as they battle to maintain the land, “amid shifting alliances, unsolved murders and open wounds,” according to Paramount. While the core show consists of five seasons, its popularity sparked a whole universe with spinoff prequels like 1883 and 1923.

    The second half of Season 5 consists of six episodes that follow the Dutton family as they face “new challenges in the aftermath of a tragedy that rocks them to their foundations and creates a dangerous power vacuum in the state of Montana,” notes NBC.

    If you’ve been planning to binge Season 5 Part 2 of “Yellowstone,” here’s what to know.

    When will ‘Yellowstone’ Season 5, Part 2 be available on streaming?

    According to NBC, the second part of Season 5 will be available to stream exclusively on Peacock beginning Sunday, March 16. All five seasons of the series will be available to watch on the streaming platform.

    New episodes were aired on television only and were not released on Paramount’s streaming service, Paramount+, or on Peacock. Under streaming agreements, “Yellowstone” is available exclusively on Peacock. Paramount previously sold streaming rights to the series, which debuted in 2018, to Peacock, prior to the launch of Paramount+ in 2021.

    Where to stream ‘Yellowstone’ prequels ‘1923’ and ‘1883’?

    The prequel spinoff series “1883” and “1923” are available to stream on Paramount+.

    We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

    Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.

    Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at [email protected].

  • Adam Devine shares fitness and nutrition tipsEntertain This!

    Adam Devine shares fitness and nutrition tipsEntertain This!

    Adam Devine shares fitness and nutrition tipsEntertain This!

  • Nephew speaks out, dog misidentified

    Nephew speaks out, dog misidentified

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    The investigation into the deaths of actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa continued Thursday, over a week after their bodies were discovered at a New Mexico estate shared by the couple.

    Officials at the Santa Fe sheriff’s department declined to share an update Wednesday but did announce a joint press conference with the state’s medical investigator and department of health offices, set to take place Friday.

    Hackman and Arakawa were discovered dead on Feb. 26, alongside one of their dogs. As Hollywood poured out with messages of mourning for the legendary actor, troubling details began to emerge surrounding his death.

    Tough guy, everyman. Gene Hackman pursued anonymity and a private artist life in Santa Fe

    Data from Hackman’s pacemaker indicated that he may have died more than a week before he was found, the Sheriff’s Office reported, while a search warrant revealed Arakawa was found in an open bathroom near a space heater, with an open prescription bottle and pills scattered on the nearby countertop. 

    Santa Fe Fire Chief Brian Moya told Fox News digital Wednesday that it is likely the couple died within a close timeframe. “Both bodies are in a similar manner, that it could be a similar timeframe,” he said.  

    The sheriff’s department also originally misidentified the dog found deceased alongside the couple. On Monday, USA TODAY confirmed that while a previous report had stated a German shepherd had been found, that dog was in fact safe while one of the other pair’s canines − a 12-year-old reddish Australian Kelpie named Zinna − was the pet that had been found dead.

    Hollywood news to know now: Sign up for USA TODAY’s Entertainment newsletter.

    Gene Hackman nephew speaks out

    As authorities have struggled to cobble together a timeline, Hackman’s family is trying to stay away from conjecture.

    “We’re waiting on toxicology. That will tell us everything,” the actor’s nephew, Tim Hackman, told Us Weekly Tuesday. “It’s hard to theorize. There are lots of theories out there and I don’t want to speculate. It’s easy to speculate negative theories.”

    “The family wants to keep it positive for now and when we know the truth we will deal with it.”

    In a statement to USA TODAY last week, Hackman’s daughters – Elizabeth and Leslie Hackman – and granddaughter Annie said they were “devastated by the loss.”

    “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy,” they said. “He was loved and admired by millions around the world for his brilliant acting career, but to us he was always just Dad and Grandpa. We will miss him sorely.”

    ‘Villains are always the best roles’: Best quotes from late Actor Gene Hackman

    Gene Hackman’s quiet life in Santa Fe

    In the final years of his life, Hackman retreated alongside Arakawa to a quiet life in Santa Fe. Joining a rich community of artists, the Oscar-winning talent honed his painting and writing skills and wove himself into the fabric of the community.

    He and Arakawa, an accomplished pianist, settled into a home just a few miles north of the city, rebuilt from the studs to blend Santa Fe’s classic styles with a twist of their own artistic flare.

    As fans and family alike await more details, authorities have already ruled out a gas leak, and noted that while the circumstances do appear “suspicious,” there is “no foul play” suspected at this time.

    Contributing: USA TODAY Entertainment staff

  • ‘Hamilton’ producers cancels Kennedy Center shows over Trump shakeup

    ‘Hamilton’ producers cancels Kennedy Center shows over Trump shakeup

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    Producers of “Hamilton,” the hugely popular musical created by Lin-Manuel Miranda, have canceled a planned 2026 engagement at the Kennedy Center, citing the “recent purge” by the Trump administration of the center’s leadership.

    In a statement from producer Jeffrey Seller released on Wednesday afternoon, the Lin-Manuel Miranda-penned musical announced that a third engagement of the show’s national tour, set for March 3 to April 26, 2026, would be canceled.

    Among the shows recently canceled by the Kennedy Center are the children’s musical “Finn” and an appearance by the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington. Both will appear as part of a Stars in the House fundraiser in New York City on March 17.

    “The recent purge by the Trump Administration of both professional staff and performing arts events at or originally produced by the Kennedy Center flies in the face of everything this national cultural center represents,” Seller’s statement reads.

    “The spirit of nonpartisanship ended on February 7, 2025, with the firing of Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter, the Chairman of the Board David Rubenstein, and numerous other Kennedy Center board members, as well as the cancellation of important programming.”

    Trump presidency: President Trump preps executive order to dismantle Education Department

    The Kennedy Center leadership shakeup

    President Donald Trump announced last month a massive overhaul at the Kennedy Center that included the termination of multiple board of trustees members, including Chairman David Rubenstein. And Trump named Rubenstein’s replacement: himself.

    The reason for the changes, Trump wrote in a Truth Social post last month, was the center’s decision to host drag show performances at its venue.

    “THIS WILL STOP,” Trump wrote.

    “The Kennedy Center is an American Jewel, and must reflect the brightest STARS on its stage from all across our Nation,” he continued. “For the Kennedy Center, THE BEST IS YET TO COME!”

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    Kennedy Center under President Donald Trump as chairman

    President Donald Trump took over the Kennedy Center as its chaiman after firing several board members.

    In his statement, Seller said the show “cannot, in good conscience, participate and be a part of this new culture that is being imposed on the Kennedy center,” while adding that “Hamilton” was performed at the Kennedy Center in 2018 during Trump’s first term in office.

    “We are not acting against his administration, but against the partisan policies of the Kennedy Center as a result of his recent takeover,” Seller’s statement reads.

    The Kennedy Center did not immediately respond to a USA TODAY request for comment.

    Extremely online so you don’t have to be: Sign up for USA TODAY’s Entertainment newsletter.

    New Kennedy Center leadership hits back at ‘Hamilton’ producers

    Richard Grenell, the interim president of the Kennedy Center, hit back at Seller and Miranda on social media Wednesday.

    “Seller and @Lin_Manuel first went to the New York Times before they came to the Kennedy Center with their announcement that they can’t be in the same room with Republicans,” Grenell said on X. “This is a publicity stunt that will backfire.”

    “The Arts are for everyone – not just for the people who Lin likes and agrees with,” Grenell’s statement continued. “The American people need to know that @Lin_Manuel is intolerant of people who don’t agree with him politically. It’s clear he and Sellers don’t want Republicans going to their shows.”

    “Americans see you, Lin,” Grenell’s statement concluded.

    Contributing: Savannah Kuchar, USA TODAY

    Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at [email protected].

  • Steve Carell tells California students their prom tickets are paid for

    Steve Carell tells California students their prom tickets are paid for

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    • On Tuesday, Steve Carell surprised hundreds of California high school students, promising free prom tickets, paid for by Virginia charity Alice’s Kids.
    • Alice’s Kids provides anonymous financial assistance to children, K-12, across the country.
    • Alice’s Kids will pay for the prom tickets of about 800 seniors at six Altadena high schools.

    Steve Carell surprised hundreds of high schoolers this week by promising free prom tickets to those affected by the California wildfires.

    “Attention all seniors. This is Steve Carell with a very special announcement,” the actor said in a video projected in six high school auditoriums throughout Altadena, California on Tuesday.

    “I work with a wonderful charity … Alice’s Kids, and Alice’s Kids wanted me to let you know that they will be paying for all of your prom tickets, and if you’ve already paid for your prom tickets, they will reimburse you,” the actor said.

    Alice’s Kids will pay for the prom tickets of about 800 seniors at six high schools in Altadena, according to Alice’s Kids founder and executive director Ronald “Ron” Fitzsimmons. He estimated that Alice’s Kids will donate about $175,000 in total.

    Watch as students get the news:

    Based in Virginia, Alice’s Kids is a nonprofit that provides anonymous financial assistance to children in need across the country. Teachers, social workers, guidance counselors, police officers and other officials may request a grant through Alice’s Kids for the needs, or even the wants, of a child. Alice’s Kids has funded new glasses, sporting equipment and GED exam fees, Fitzsimmons told USA TODAY.

    Alice’s Kids most often works with one student at a time, but over the years, the nonprofit has given group donations. For example, after the EF4 tornado that hit western Kentucky in 2021, Alice’s Kids donated 100 Walmart gift cards to graduating seniors at an affected high school.

    Following the wildfires that raged through California earlier this year, Fitzsimmons knew he wanted to help in some way. The Eaton Fire, specifically, tore through more than 14,000 acres in Los Angeles County. The six schools Alice’s Kids is working with remain standing, but students who attend the schools may have lost their homes.

    Fitzsimmons said he made phone calls to schools in the affected areas and was told they were overwhelmed with charitable donations.

    “That’s when I thought, ‘Well, let’s do something later on. Later on, all the charities will be gone. The kids who are seniors will be going off somewhere,’” Fitzsimmons said. “So that’s when I thought, ‘What can we do to lift them a little bit in a few months from now?’”

    “That’s when the idea of prom tickets came up.”

    Steve Carell’s connection to Alice’s Kids

    About seven years ago, Alice’s Kids received a “very generous donation” from Nancy Carell, Steve’s wife, Fitzsimmons said.

    “I looked at it and it just didn’t register to me. I passed it along to my finance person and she called back and she’s like, ‘Ron, do you know who that donation’s from?’ And I said, ‘Yeah, Nancy Carell?’ And before she said it I went, ‘Oh my god.’ She said, ‘That’s Steve’s wife,’” Fitzsimmons recalled.

    About two years after the initial donation, Fitzsimmons was planning a trip to Los Angeles and asked Nancy if she and Steve would be available to meet for lunch, to finally meet in person. They made it happen.

    Over the years, Fitzsimmons has kept in regular contact with Nancy.

    Fitzsimmons said he doesn’t like to ask a lot of Steve, as he knows he’s a busy guy, but after learning that high school students are fans of “The Office,” in which Carell plays the lead, Michael Scott, he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to ask if he’d be interested in helping share the news.

    Within 10 minutes of asking Nancy if Steve would be interested, she responded with a yes. And the next day, Fitzsimmons had the video.

    Funding coming soon, director says

    Details on how the high schools will receive the funding will be ironed out the coming weeks, Fitzsimmons said.

    High schools receiving funding include John Muir High School, Aveson Global Leadership Academy, Blair High School, Marshall Fundamental Secondary School, Pasadena High School and Rose City High School.

    How does Alice’s Kids work?

    Alice’s Kids serves children grades kindergarten through 12th grade and only receives grant requests from professionals who work directly with children, not requests from the general public.

    In 2024, Alice’s Kids helped more than 10,000 children in need, Fitzsimmons said.

    When the nonprofit receives a completed request form, available on the Alice’s Kids website, a team member then reviews the request. If the request is for a gift card donation, Fitzsimmons said a gift card is typically sent out within 48 hours or less of the request coming in. On average, Alice’s Kids receives about 800 requests per month, he added.

    Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretalcross. Story idea? Email her at [email protected].