Author: business

Meghan Markle posts adorable photo with kids Lilibet, Archie

Duchess Meghan continues to offer glimpses into her life with husband Prince Harry and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

The duchess, 43, who just wrapped the first season of her Netflix cooking and hosting show “With Love, Meghan,” and upcoming new lifestyle brand As Ever, took to her brand’s Instagram on Monday to share a moment captured in a garden with her children.

“Every day is a love story,” said the caption of the post, a collaboration with Meghan’s newly resurfaced Instagram account. In the filtered photo, Meghan carries Lilibet, 3, who is carrying a basket, with both in matching sun hats. Archie, 5, meanwhile, clings to Meghan’s leg as she appears ready to pick fruit from a tree.

Duchess Meghan talks As Ever criticism, California life with Prince Harry, new TV show

Meghan has shared a few rare photos of the children in the last few weeks, including a sweet snap of Lilibet showing her mom strawberries in a basket with Archie making a small appearance to celebrate spring, and of Harry, 40, cradling Lilibet in a post for International Women’s Day.

‘With Love, Meghan’ to return for second season as Duchess Meghan dominates Netflix

As Ever, previously dubbed American Riviera Orchard before trademark issues, is the duchess’ lifestyle brand featuring home goods and food products such as teas, spreads and baking mixes.

The brand (like her show) has faced criticism for a perceived lack of authenticity. Meghan responded to the backlash in a People magazine interview earlier this month, saying there are “tons of twists and turns” in the process of making something of your own.

“I appreciate everyone who gave me the grace to make mistakes and figure it out and also to be forgiving with myself through that,” she said. “It’s a learning curve.”

“With Love, Meghan,” her Netflix series featuring the duchess cooking, gardening and hosting with friends, offers a look at Meghan as she settles into family life. The duke and duchess infamously stepped back from their royal titles five years ago, taking residence in Canada and, later, California in June 2020. The couple and their two children currently reside in Montecito, California.

Contributing: Jay Stahl

March 25, 2025
Garth Brooks cries at Trisha Yearwood Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony

Garth Brooks choked up watching his wife, Trisha Yearwood, join him on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, as he battles a lawsuit accusing him of rape.

The country singer, 63, was seen wiping away tears Monday while sitting in the audience of Yearwood’s Walk of Fame ceremony in Los Angeles. In her remarks, Yearwood said that her husband has “really been a cheerleader” for her.

“As many accolades and awards as he has won, I never see him get more excited than he does when I receive something,” she said. “For all the people that want this for me, nobody wants it more than you, and I just appreciate you for being my support.”

Brooks has his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and Yearwood quipped, “We’re down a few stars from each other, but we’re going to figure out something. We’ll put some breadcrumbs or something.”

Brooks and Yearwood, who posed for photos at the ceremony, have been married since 2005, and they have frequently collaborated and performed together. Brooks was previously married to Sandy Mahl, with whom he shares three daughters.

Garth Brooks says he and Trisha Yearwood set to host ‘misfit Thanksgiving’ amid rape suit

Monday’s ceremony came after a former hair and make-up artist filed a lawsuit against Brooks last year, accusing him of raping her in a Los Angeles hotel room in 2019.

The unnamed Jane Roe, who said she was first hired in 1999 as a hairstylist and makeup artist for Yearwood, alleged that Brooks “seized what he saw as an opportunity to subject a female employee to a side of Brooks that he conceals from the public. This side of Brooks believes he is entitled to sexual gratification when he wants it, and using a female employee to get it, is fair game.”

The lawsuit also claimed that Brooks had sexually charged conversations with the woman that “included his repeated remarks about having a threesome with his wife, Ms. Yearwood, in which he suggested that Ms. Roe would be the third person.” The woman believes that Yearwood overheard the comments “on at least one occasion,” the suit said.

Brooks has denied the allegations and claimed he is the victim of a “shakedown.” Before the woman’s allegations were revealed, the country singer filed his own lawsuit, initially under a pseudonym, in an effort to block the claims from becoming public, saying they “would irreparably harm” his “reputation, family, career and livelihood.”

Garth Brooks claims he’s a victim of a ‘shakedown,’ names himself and rape accuser

“For the last two months, I have been hassled to no end with threats, lies, and tragic tales of what my future would be if I did not write a check for many millions of dollars. It has been like having a loaded gun waved in my face,” Brooks said in a statement obtained by USA TODAY.

“Hush money, no matter how much or how little, is still hush money. In my mind, that means I am admitting to behavior I am incapable of — ugly acts no human should ever do to another. We filed suit against this person nearly a month ago to speak out against extortion and defamation of character. We filed it anonymously for the sake of families on both sides.”

The allegations came after Brooks announced the final shows of his Las Vegas residency and told USA TODAY he planned to be a “plus one” for Yearwood in 2025.

“I think my job for 2025 is to be the plus one,” he said. “My wife is sweet enough to be there for me every time I need her. I need to return that and we need to hear her more than two songs a night. I told her I’d front her. I’ll stay backstage and do whatever she needs.”

Yearwood paid tribute to Brooks in a heartfelt Instagram post in February for his 63rd birthday amid the lawsuit, calling him her “forever duet partner.”

Contributing: Melissa Ruggieri, Jay Stahl and Pamela Avila

March 25, 2025
Yoko Ono biggest revelations on John Lennon marriage in new book

Marrying John Lennon brought Yoko Ono a dizzying degree of reflected fame. But her life story is nervy, compelling and shockingly sad both with and without him.

David Sheff’s new biography “Yoko” (Simon & Schuster, 368 pp., out now) depicts the avant-garde artist and activist from a surprising vantage point: He spent weeks talking with the couple for what would be the former Beatle’s final “Playboy” interview in 1980. After Lennon’s murder, Sheff developed a friendship with Ono, now 92, and received access to her family, collaborators and confidants.

What emerges feels sympathetic yet honest and occasionally humorous. Among the book’s biggest revelations:

Yoko Ono’s peace efforts stemmed from her own experiences as a Japanese American during World War II

Ono’s wealthy but emotionally aloof parents sent her to a farming village with her younger siblings for safety amid the bombing of Tokyo, where the 12-year-old begged and bartered their belongings for rice. She suffered anemia, malnutrition and developed pleurisy. Anxious and lonely, Ono would count her breaths for fear she’d forget to breathe at all.

Ever the optimist, her coping mechanisms were looking at the sky (a recurring theme in her art and music) and “imagining” her favorite foods − imagery familiar to fans of the song “Imagine.”

“That was my sister’s first conceptual art piece,” her brother Kei recalls.

Yoko Ono struggled with suicidal thoughts and met husband Tony Cox in a mental hospital after an overdose attempt

Starting in her teens, Ono made multiple efforts to kill herself. Her first husband, pianist and composer Toshi Ichiyanagi, prevented her from jumping out of the window of their eleventh-story apartment. Eventually, after swallowing a handful of pills, she woke up in a mental hospital.

Cox, an American admirer of her art, tracked Ono down while visiting Japan and advocated for her release, telling the hospital she was a famous artist in the U.S.

They wed when she became pregnant with their daughter, Kyoko, in 1962. Becoming a mother relieved Ono of her desire to kill herself, she said.

Later, after she left him to marry Lennon, Cox kidnapped Kyoko and disappeared into a cult, separating Ono from her child for decades.

Though often jeered by critics, Yoko Ono is a trained singer who studied German lieder and opera

Her disappointed father, Eisuke, deemed her hands “too small” to be a great pianist. When she proposed studying music composition, he suggested she become an opera singer. For years, she took formal lessons while also experimenting with her signature screeching, howling and caterwauling.

Her marriage to John Lennon suffered after he had sex with a woman at a party they attended together

The incident is a known one, but Sheff describes it in horrifying detail.

In 1972, John and Yoko went to a party at activist Jerry Rubin’s home to watch election returns. Lennon, angry about Richard Nixon’s re-election and under the influence, began canoodling with a female guest and went off into the next room to engage in noisy intercourse. Photographer Bob Gruen hurriedly put on Bob Dylan’s “Blonde on Blonde” for distraction while Yoko sat quietly humiliated.

The next year, Ono separated from Lennon, sending him away with her assistant May Pang for an 18-month period he would refer to as his “lost weekend.”

John and Yoko reconciled at the end of 1974, and the late 1970s would turn out to be the happiest she’d been in her life. “She spoke about surrendering to love, and for her it really was a surrender − with John, her protective walls finally came down,” Sheff writes.

After John Lennon’s assassination, his son Sean would be smuggled out of the Dakota in a black bag

For weeks, Yoko and Sean attempted to grieve and sleep as thousands of singing fans kept vigil outside The Dakota, their apartment building in New York. Meanwhile, physical threats, including a bullet-ridden copy of Lennon and Ono’s “Double Fantasy” album, were being delivered to their door.

Later, concerned about a delusional man in front of the apartment, Sean’s bodyguards would conceal the frightened child in a bag and carry him past the man’s parked van for the walk to school.

But betrayals were happening inside their home, too. John’s personal possessions, including his diaries, were disappearing. His killer wrote Ono, asking her permission to write a memoir and donate the proceeds to charity. One of Ono’s drivers demanded millions and was charged with extortion.

She tried to move on with positivity, but Ono didn’t always have it in her. When asked if she could forgive Lennon’s killer, as Pope John Paul II had his attempted assassin, she said simply, “I’m not the pope.”

This article discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.

March 25, 2025
Jenna Bush Hager, Barbara Bush on ‘I Loved You First’ book, parenting

NEW YORK − Things are a little different for Jenna Bush Hager at work this week. The “Jenna & Friends” host will share the fourth hour of the “Today” show with a number of family members through Friday.

“I feel like I’m more nervous (with family) than when I have other guest co-hosts,” the daughter of former President George W. Bush, 43, tells USA TODAY. The NBC News correspondent worked with her twin sister Barbara Pierce Bush on Monday and welcomes her back Tuesday. For the rest of the week, she’ll be joined by cousins Wendy Stapleton and Sam Bush LeBlond followed by her husband, Henry Hager.

“I wanna make sure (my family feels) comfortable,” she adds. “But Barbara’s a pro. She’s really good at it. So this has been an easy way to ease into the week.”

The sisters are teaming up for more than just a few hours of television this week: Jenna and Barbara are celebrating the release of their fifth book together, “I Loved You First” (Little, Brown and Company, 40 pp. Out now).

The book illustrates a parent’s love for their child through shared experiences like counting constellations, dancing in the rain and hiking outdoors. Bush Hager says “I Loved You First” is “about what it feels like to be a parent and how adored our children are from the very beginning.”

A tour to promote the children’s book, the fifth they’ve worked on together, also kicks off Tuesday in Madison, Connecticut, and wraps Sunday in Fort Worth, Texas.

“What’s really fun is (readers will) come and they’ll tell us what they loved about the last book,” Pierce Bush, 43, says of the book tour stops. “And that’s what we then see as our inspiration for our next ideas.”

Aside from co-authoring, the sisters are also co-founders of a nonprofit organization, Global Health Corps, that aims to tackle global health challenges by identifying and empowering emerging health leaders throughout the world.

The Bush sisters won’t rule out working with dad

While meeting readers and fans on the book tour, the Bush sisters inevitably will hear stories from others about their parents and grandparents, the late President George H.W. and former First Lady Barbara Bush.

“It’s unusual to have such public parents or to mourn publicly when we lost our grandparents,” Pierce Bush says. “But then we meet people who have their own personal stories about them. I still feel now, even though our grandparents have been dead a few years, (that) we’re still discovering who they are because people will come to our book event and have an anecdote about meeting them.”

“We get to keep learning about the people that we love,” she adds.

As for the sisters’ parents, former President Bush has taken up painting as a hobby and has released two books filled with his work. However, he has yet to contribute to any of his daughters’ projects, although the interest is there.

“Talk to us in the future,” Pierce Bush teases.

How the Bush sisters are tackling parenting in the digital age

Since their father wasn’t elected president until they turned 18, the Bush sisters say they led a pretty “normal” childhood. Still, the world they grew up in compared to what their children are experiencing is vastly different.

“I want my kids to feel just as important as we felt, and not that I’m looking at them when I’m not looking at a screen,” Pierce Bush says.

Between them, they have five children ranging from 7 months old to 11 years old. “I just want them to know I’m fully present with them,” Pierce Bush adds. “And that’s something that I definitely remember from our childhood.”

Bush Hager is quite strict about screen time and thinks it may have been passed down by her mother, Laura.

“We had a mom that never had junk food in our house, so we would sneak out and go to the neighbors to get Twinkies and such,” she jokes. “My daughter’s in sixth grade; most of her friends have cell phones. She does not; she uses my old iPad to text with her friends. She will not have social media for a bit. We’re trying to work together as opposed to it becoming a fight.”

Through co-authoring another children’s book, the sisters hope they’ll give readers a reason to ditch their screens.

“This really is for the parents as much as the kids,” Bush Hager says of “I Loved You First.”

The book, illustrated by Ramona Kaulitzki, is “all about that feeling of seeing the world through your kids’ eyes, which is such a beautiful, special thing if we put our devices away and just are zoned in to our hilarious, empathetic kids. The world is so much sweeter.”

March 25, 2025
Mark Morrison arrested after scuffle in Florida restaurant

English R&B singer Mark Morrison, best known for his 1996 hit song “Return of the Mack,” was arrested Saturday following an altercation at a Palm Beach, Florida, restaurant.

Morrison, 52, was charged with simple battery after he twice shoved a person inside a restaurant called Le Bar à Vin, according to a probable cause affidavit released by Palm Beach Police and obtained by Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Network.

He was released early Sunday morning on a $1,000 bond. An arraignment date has been set for April 15, according to court documents.

USA TODAY has reached out to Morrison for comment.

According to police, Morrison entered Le Bar à Vin around 6:15 p.m. and began “yelling and cursing” about an event there.

Morrison then angrily confronted a person at the restaurant and allegedly pushed that person twice in the upper body “with an open hand,” according to the affidavit. That person told police he did not consent to the contact and wanted to press charges.

Fabrizio Riillo, the restaurant’s nightlife manager, confirmed the victim’s account of the incident, telling police that Morrison entered the restaurant “in an irate manner” and continued to exchange words with the victim before allegedly pushing him twice.

Bodycam video shows Karen Huger’s arrest following drunk driving

Newly released bodycam footage showed “The Real Housewives of Potomac” star Karen Huger’s interactions with police during her arrest.

Riillo said he stepped in between both parties to separate them before asking Morrison to exit the business, according to police. He told police that the victim never touched or struck Morrison, who owns a home in Palm Beach.

Riillo told the Daily News the altercation stemmed from an incident Friday night in which Morrison brought a singer to the restaurant and repeatedly told the singer’s crew to turn up the music.

When the music got too loud, the venue’s general manager told Morrison that he could not tell the artist to raise the volume, Riillo said.

In response, “Mark Morrison came back on Saturday night looking for a fight,” Riillo said.

Jodie Wagner is a journalist at the Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at [email protected].

March 25, 2025
Jelly Roll joins ‘Fire Country’ for acting debut

Jelly Roll is adding “actor” to his resume.

The country music star will try his hand at television stardom with a new guest role on CBS’ popular series “Fire Country,” according to an Us Weekly exclusive published Monday.

His character, Noah, is a healthcare worker and ex-convict hoping to remake his life. The role is an easy fit for the rapper and singer who has risen to popularity in part on the heels of his own second chance story.

During his teenage years and early twenties, Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason Bradley DeFord, was arrested several times on drug and robbery charges. Following the release of several mixtapes, his 2022 single “Son of a Sinner” skyrocketed him to fame, establishing a music career that draws heavily on themes of incarceration and redemption.

In a preview of the episode, which will premiere April 8, Us Weekly revealed that Noah lost his mother while serving time in prison and now works with other patients like her and their loved ones who are struggling to say goodbye.

The episode will revolve around a chair lift accident at a ski resort and explore main character Billy Burke’s (Max Thieriot) personal struggles amid caring for his sick father.

USA TODAY has reached out to CBS for comment.

“Fire Country” marks Jelly Roll’s first scripted role − he previously appeared as himself in a cameo for Paramount+’s “Tulsa King.”

He appeared during Season 2 of the TV drama alongside Sylvester Stallone in an episode that featured his popular song “I Am Not Okay.”

“I’m such a hard-core ‘Tulsa King’ fan that me and my wife binge-watched the whole first season the first day it dropped,” he told USA TODAY over email at the time. “There’s so much wild (stuff) going on in ‘Tulsa King,’ so much crossing out happening, I think ‘I Am Not Okay’ was perfect.”

March 25, 2025
Jenna Bush Hager, Barbara Bush co-author 'I Loved You First'Entertain This!

Jenna Bush Hager, Barbara Bush co-author ‘I Loved You First’Entertain This!

March 25, 2025
Crossword Blog & Answers for March 25, 2025 by Sally Hoelscher
There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today’s puzzle before reading further! Gene Splicing
Constructor: Jay Silverman

Editor: Anna Gundlach

Comments from Today’s Crossword Constructor

Jay: I’m happy to be back in the USA TODAY with this little puzzle that I pitched to the team last year. I’m particularly happy to have the clue for 56-Across in this puzzle, as it’s an essential (if imperfect) institution and working towards “peace, dignity, and equality on a healthy planet” always seems like a more noble goal than the alternative. A nice little reminder that we’re all in it together and all owe each other the best we can muster.

My thanks, as always, to the team for giving me the opportunity to share something fun with the world. Hope you all get a kick out of this one.

What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle

MRS (12D: ___ Meyer’s Clean Day) MRS. Meyer’s Clean Day is a brand of cleaning products with “garden-inspired scents.” The brand is named for a real-life MRS. Meyer – Thelma A. Meyer.

SESAME (50D: Type of seed on binangkal) Binangkal is a dense, deep-fried, SESAME seed-covered donut in Filipino cuisine.

Random Thoughts & Interesting Things

ISSA (13A: “Barbie” actress Rae) ISSA Rae portrays President Barbie in the 2023 movie Barbie.

OPERA (17A: “Turando” or “Aida”) Turandot is an OPERA by Giacomo Puccini. When Puccini died in 1924, the Turandot was unfinished. Franco Alfano finished Turandot, and the OPERA premiered in 1926. Aida is an 1871 OPERA by Giuseppe Verdi.

NAT (23A: Rebellion leader Turner) In 1831, NAT Turner led a rebellion of enslaved persons in Virginia. The rebellion resulted in the death of over 55 people, and NAT Turner lived in hiding for two months afterwards. In the aftermath of NAT Turner’s rebellion, many Black people were killed and harsh(er) laws were enacted against enslaved people.

TEA (32A: What 60-Across means in Hindi) and CHAI (60A: Spiced brewed beverage) This is a fun pairing.

FELT (36A: Material many Muppets are made of) Nice to see a reference to the Muppets, the puppet characters created by Jim Henson in 1955. Many of the Muppets are hand puppets that have been molded out of foam and covered with FELT.

TET (43A: Vietnamese New Year) TET, also known as the Vietnamese New Year, celebrates the arrival of spring based on the Vietnamese calendar. TET was celebrated this year on January 29.

FDA (44A: Medication-approving org.) The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a Federal agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. One of the FDA’s responsibilities is to make sure medications are safe and effective. The abbreviation of organization as org. in the clue alerts solvers the answer will be an abbreviation.

FEDORA (51A: Carmen Sandiego’s hat) Carmen Sandiego is the title character in the Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? video game franchise. Her signature look is a red FEDORA and trench coat. Carmen Sandiego and her organization of criminals – known as V.I.L.E. – steal such things as the island of Bali, the Cape of Good Hope, and the keys to the Tower of London.

PIE (55A: Whole pizza) Pizza is one of my favorite foods. I’m never going to be sad to see it mentioned.

UNITED NATIONS (56A: “Peace, dignity and equality on a healthy planet” organization) The UNITED NATIONS was established in 1945, after World War II. One of its aims is to prevent future world wars. It currently has 193 member states. One of the many things the UNITED NATIONS does is to designate observances in order to protect its objectives. The UNITED NATIONS has designated 2025 as the International Year of Peace and Trust, the International Year of Glacier’s Preservation, the International Year of Cooperatives, and the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. I agree with the sentiment Jay shared in his notes; working towards “peace, dignity, and equality on a healthy planet” certainly seems like a worthy goal.

ALUM (66A: Former student, for short) and GRADUATE (37D: Receive a diploma) Once you GRADUATE, you become an ALUM.

ABEL (6D: Cain’s younger brother) In the Bible, Cain and ABEL are the sons of Adam and Eve.

BIRD (7D: Basketball legend Larry or Sue) Larry BIRD and Sue BIRD are not related, but they are both retired professional basketball players. Larry BIRD played for the NBA’s Boston Celtics from 1979-1992. During his time on the team, the Boston Celtics were NBA champions three times. Larry BIRD coached for the Indiana Pacers from 1997-2000. Sue BIRD played for the WNBA’s Seattle Storm from 2002-2022. The Seattle Storm won four WNBA championships during SUE Bird’s time on the team. SUE Bird also has five gold medals from her time playing on Team USA in the Olympics.

GRIMM (9D: German fairy-tale surnames) The Brothers GRIMM – Jacob (1785-1863) and Wilhelm (1786-1859) – were German academics who collected folklore. The brothers published fairy tales such as “Cinderella,” “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Rapunzel,” and others.

AAA (11D: Highest Minor League Baseball level) Minor League Baseball underwent a reorganization in 2021. One thing that didn’t change is that the highest level of the organization is still Triple-A (AAA). Some Minor League Baseball teams have fun and interesting names, such as the Albuquerque Isotopes (affiliated with the Colorado Rockies), the Sacramento River Cats (affiliated with the San Francisco Giants), and the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (affiliated with the Philadelphia Phillies).

DOHA (14D: Qatar’s capital) The country of Qatar occupies a peninsula with the Persian Gulf on one side, and the Gulf of Bahrain on the other. DOHA, its capital, is located on the coast of the Persian Gulf.

LION (28D: Cowardly Oz resident) and CAT (60D: Tortie or tabby) My CAT, Willow – who is neither a tortie (tortoiseshell) or a tabby, but a calico – would tell you she is not cowardly like her big CAT cousin in the Wizard of Oz. Here she is looking out the window and perhaps thinking, “If you’d just let me out there, I’d tell those squirrels and birds whose yard this is!” (The reality is that she is a bit of a coward, and would be reluctant to venture outside, even if given the opportunity.)

ARI (45D: Singer Grande, to fans) Ariana Grande, known as ARI to her fans, is known for her four-octave vocal range. She plays the role of Galinda “Glinda” in the 2024 movie Wicked and in the upcoming 2025 movie Wicked: For Good.

A couple of other clues I especially enjoyed:

DAMAGE (24A: “What’s the ___?” (“How much does it cost?”)

FISHES (1D: ___ for compliments (seeks praise from others))

Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis

HOUSEHOLD NAME (19A: Person whom most people know)

GOOD-NATURED (37A: Easygoing and cooperative)

UNITED NATIONS (56A: “Peace, dignity and equality on a healthy planet” organization)

GENE SPLICING: The letters DNA are found at the word split in each theme answer: HOUSEHOLD NAME, GOOD-NATURED, and UNITED NATIONS.

At first I was looking for the word GENE to be split. There was a nice “Aha!” moment when I realized it was the genetic material DNA undergoing the SPLICING. It’s always interesting to have another layer to uncover in order to recognize the theme. Thank you, Jay, for this enjoyable puzzle.

For more on USA TODAY’s Crossword Puzzles
March 25, 2025
Meghan Trainor hopes to meet country songwriters at Billboard event
- The singer is being honored with the “Hitmaker Award” at the upcoming Billboard Women in Music Awards.
- Trainor expressed her desire to collaborate with country artists like Megan Moroney and Mickey Guyton.
- She is also promoting a partnership with Arm & Hammer while supporting her best friend Chris Olsen on tour.
Meghan Trainor is all about that bass, that family and those detergent sheets.

The mom of two is breathing a sigh of relief following her Timeless Tour that stretched across the U.S. last fall, visiting cities from Mansfield, Massachusetts, to Inglewood, California.

“It’s like you’ve accomplished the hardest physical and emotional thing in two months,” she says over Zoom. Her smile beams through the camera. “ I can’t imagine how people do it for years. I salute them. I think they’re heroes.”

Her husband, Daryl Sabara, and kids, Barry and Riley, joined her on the road. Trainor’s one rule is she doesn’t spend more than a week away from the loves of her life.

“Riley won’t stop talking about the tour,” she says. ”Every day was an adventure. Every day we got in a new car and on a new bus to go to a museum or aquarium.”

More: Meghan Trainor calls Nashville her ‘pretend second home,’ talks first tour in seven years

Trainor is gearing up for her next event, hoping to rub elbows with fellow stars at the Billboard Women in Music Awards. She’s being honored with the “Hitmaker Award.”

“I’m trying to get back into writing with other artists,” Trainor says, adding she would welcome the opportunity to work alongside Megan Moroney, Mickey Guyton or Tanner Adell. “I would love to write with these country artists. They’re incredible. They’re so cute. I’ve just been a fan. I can’t wait to meet them and meet them in person and give them a big hug and say, ‘We should write.’”

The YouTube Theater broadcast will air March 29 at 7 p.m. PT on VIZIO WatchFree+. This year’s program will include: Becky G, Doechii, Glorilla, Gracie Abrams, Megan Moroney, Meghan Trainor, Muni Long, Mickey Guyton, Suki Waterhouse, Tanner Adell, Tyla and Zara Larsson. Laverne Cox is hosting.

In the meantime, Trainor is following her best friend Chris Olsen on tour with her brother Ryan Trainor and promoting her partnership with Arm & Hammer. She creatively ties together both.

“They’re selling out venues, which is insane and I’m just so proud of them,” she says. “It’s funny watching them go through all the tour stuff, like doing laundry. That is the hardest part of tour, I think, and I wish I had Arm & Hammer Power Sheets when I was touring, you know what I’m saying?”

Olsen’s tour is a 90-minute variety show that includes musical theater, stand-up comedy and covers of popular songs (Trainor recorded back-up vocals).

Updated to correct the name of a product.
March 25, 2025
What happened in the finale

Spoiler alert: The following contains details from the finale of “The Bachelor” Season 29.

Another season is in the books, and Bachelor Nation has received a seemingly happy ending.

On Monday night’s “Bachelor” finale, Grant Ellis had his final dates with Litia Garr and Juliana Pasquarosa and introduced his family to the last two women standing on Season 29.

After much speculation about whether a weary-looking Grant from the “Women Tell All” even ended up with anyone, the rumors have been put to rest. The 31-year-old day trader had a signature Neil Lane ring and a very specific question to ask one of the women in the Dominican Republic — so is he an engaged man?

The finale revealed Litia as the first to arrive at the podium with Grant and his final rose, meaning she would be dumped so he’d have a clean slate when his final choice, Juliana, arrived later.

After a tense final conversation between Grant and Litia, the bachelor was ready for his happy ending. He revealed in a confessional that, unlike with Litia, he could “see a forever love between us” with Juliana — a vision in an orange/pink rhinestone-bedazzled dress who was so nervous she could barely deliver her final speech to him.

The real ‘Bachelor’ shocker: ‘Golden’ contestants are headed to ‘Bachelor in Paradise’

Grant put her nerves to rest and reassured Juliana that she was now his best friend after the nearly two-month experience. He pulled an emerald-cut Neil Lane ring out of his suit jacket pocket as she squealed, and he asked if she’d marry him.

It was a yes from her, of course, and they put their love wolf days behind them.

Later, during “After the Final Rose,” the two confirmed they’ll be relocating together to Boston, as Juliana is from Newton, Massachusetts.

Charity Lawson speaks out: ‘Bachelorette’ star hopes show makes ‘tweaks’ to ‘come back stronger’

How Grant broke up with Litia

After Litia gingerly stepped along the rain-wet pavement in platform heels and delivered a speech about wanting a “forever” love with the bachelor, Grant delivered a blow.

“Litia, I love you very much. I want to give you everything you deserve, but I’m not your person,” he said as she looked away. “My emotional connection is stronger somewhere else.”

She didn’t take long to process the rejection, and a stony demeanor took over her face as she questioned when he decided she wasn’t the one for him.

Before walking away from the podium that once promised her a final rose, she told Grant, “You’re different than I thought.” He struggled to not hit back at the dig but quickly collected himself.

But he couldn’t help himself and asked as they walked away: “You feel like I’ve been misleading?” Litia replied: “For me, the switch-up is crazy.”

With the live studio audience firmly on her side in this recorded segment, she told Grant, “I just want to be clear. I’m confused and I’m sad, and I’m mad.”

Litia reveals why she felt led on by Grant

During the live “After the Final Rose” portion, Litia revealed she’d “felt like I had the rug pulled out from under me” after Grant’s rejection due to the many promises she’d made throughout the season.

“You said a lot of things to me from the beginning, from our first one-on-one in LA, where you said you wanted to stop the whole show because that’s how sure you were and how confident you were in our connection. You said it to my mom,” she told Grant.

“You went out of bounds. In Madrid, you gave me a journal telling me to write all my thoughts and feelings so we could read through it at the end,” she continued. “You told me I was your number one connection, that from the first group date you knew I was your wife. Those aren’t things that you say when you’re conflicted.”

Litia went on to say she’d tried to keep her expectations down throughout filming, but Grant’s reassurances had gotten her hopes up.

“I still knew the format of this whole equation and you were pursuing other relationships and that was subject to change, but you never let up, up until the last night. In overnights you said a lot,” Litia said. “And up until the last night before proposal, when I said, ‘Oh my gosh we’re getting engaged tomorrow.’ And you said, ‘I know; I can’t wait. I love you, I love you, I love you.’

“Where is the protection and the honesty and the accountability and the maturity that you talked about?”

Grant, smart man that he is, didn’t dispute her recollection of events and used his trusty “I take responsibility for my actions” mantra.

But he did offer one explanation: “I didn’t know how conflicted I would be,” he said of his final choice.

Is there going to be a ‘Bachelorette’ season?

Unfortunately for the 25 women who passed through the “Bachelor” mansion double doors earlier this season, none will be handed the baton to lead her own “Bachelorette” season — this summer, at least.

As first reported by Deadline last month, the spinoff show, which usually airs in the spring and summer, will not be broadcast during its usual timeslot on ABC. Instead, “Bachelor in Paradise” will be the next franchise installment, a person with knowledge of the situation who is not authorized to speak publicly told USA TODAY.

During Grant’s finale, host Jesse Palmer revealed what might’ve been the most shocking news of the night: “Golden” contestants would be dating alongside former “Bachelor” and “Bachelorette” cast members on “Paradise” this summer.

“Leslie Fhima” (“Golden Bachelor”), Gary Levingston (“Golden Bachelorette”), Zoe McGrady (Grant’s “Bachelor” season) and Hakeem Moulton and Jonathon Johnson from Jenn Tran’s “Bachelorette” season are the stars who are so far confirmed for the spinoff show.

The broadcaster has not announced when fans can expect the next “Bachelorette” season.

‘Bachelorette’ stars Charity Lawson, Dotun Olubeko tease wedding date

Former “Bachelorette” lead Charity Lawson hit up the iHeartRadio Music Awards and admitted the ABC show could use some “tweaks” while it’s off-air.

Entertain This!

Speaking with USA TODAY at the iHeartRadio Music Awards in Los Angeles on March 17, “Bachelorette” lead Charity Lawson and her fiancé Dotun Olubeko opened up about their thoughts on “The Bachelorette” taking a pause.

“I do think that they should take a break to figure out, maybe, where they should make some tweaks and, hopefully, come back stronger,” she said.

Lawson, who got engaged to Olubeko at the end of her 2023 season, added: “The show itself, obviously, contributed to our love story being what it is, so it’s always something special to us.”

(This story was updated with new information and a photo.)

March 25, 2025