Author: business

  • Beyoncé fans see seat changes to their ‘Cowboy Carter’ concert tickets

    Beyoncé fans see seat changes to their ‘Cowboy Carter’ concert tickets

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    • Some fans attending Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” tour opener are experiencing seat reassignments due to potential stage obstructions.
    • Ticketmaster notified affected fans, assuring them of comparable replacement seats.
    • The seat changes have fueled fan speculation about the stage production and set design for the tour.
    • The tour kicks off on April 28 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

    The countdown to Beyoncé’s opening show on her “Cowboy Carter” tour has begun, and fans should confirm their seat assignments ahead of time, as some are seeing changes before the show.

    Beyoncé is set to debut her highly anticipated Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin’ Circuit Tour on April 28 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Days before the tour kicks off, some fans were notified that their seat assignments for Beyoncé’s concert had been changed.

    One fan wrote on X, “My floor ticket was moved to a different section and when I called Ticketmaster to ask why, they said that the production team moved my seat because of obstruction view of the stage and the team relocated me. Did this happen to anyone else? I was on the aisle seat of section A2.”

    Many other fans chimed in, noting that they received similar changes to their tickets. Another wrote, “This just happened to me. Also had an aisle seat in A2 and now I’m in D2.”

    According to the shared message, TicketMaster told fans “the event organizer has accommodated you with new seats in a comparable location on the floor.”

    The changes have been stirring up curiosity and excitement amongst fans. Many theories have been floating around about what may have caused the rearranging with some guessing another stage and others imagining an extraordinary set design. All will be clear in the coming days.

    As fans know, Beyoncé first announced her eighth studio album, “Cowboy Carter,” during a surprise Super Bowl commercial in 2024 when she released singles “16 Carriages” and “Texas Hold ‘Em.”

    Beyoncé’s Los Angeles concert will be the first of 32 stadium shows across the U.S. and Europe. Since the initial announcement, Beyoncé has added a handful of concerts including final shows in Las Vegas. She’s also set to make history with her scheduled tour dates. The nine-city tour will wrap on July 26.

    Follow Caché McClay, the USA TODAY Network’s Beyoncé Knowles-Carter reporter, on InstagramTikTok and X as @cachemcclay.

  • Jesse Palmer introduces the new 'Golden Bachelor'Entertain This!

    Jesse Palmer introduces the new 'Golden Bachelor'Entertain This!

    Jesse Palmer introduces the new ‘Golden Bachelor’Entertain This!

  • Jay Leno says caring for wife Mavis amid dementia is ‘what love is’

    Jay Leno says caring for wife Mavis amid dementia is ‘what love is’

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    Jay Leno is glad he stayed committed to wife Mavis.

    The former “Tonight Show” host discussed staying true to his vows and being a dedicated caretaker to Mavis Leno, 78, amid her “advanced” dementia diagnosis, in an April 23 appearance on “In Depth with Graham Bensinger.”

    “When you get married, you take a vow,” he said, noting that he asked himself, “Will I live up to this? Or will I be like a sleazy guy if something happens to my wife?”

    Leno, 74, said he still enjoys the time spent with his wife. “I go home, I cook dinner for her, watch TV. It’s basically what we did before, except now I have to feed her and do all those things, but I like it,” he continued. “I like taking care of her. She’s a very independent woman, so I like that I’m needed.”

    Leno said that despite people with dementia forgetting their loved ones, he tries to remind his wife of their memories together with pictures on flash cards.

    “It’s kind of fun,” he said. “(I’ll go), ‘Honey, that’s President Obama, remember we had dinner?’ (and she’ll say), ‘Oh no, not me.’”

    He replied, “Yeah, honey, it was you,” but she was adamant, “No, I don’t think so!”

    In January 2024, Leno filed to be appointed conservator of his wife’s estate amid her diagnosis. Mavis “suffers from dementia, major neurocognitive disorder,” her physician wrote in a doctor’s capacity declaration, which also outlined the decline of her cognitive function.

    Leno said “you have to find the humor” in caring for someone at her stage. He told a story about taking Mavis shoe shopping, and upon reaching the register, realizing his wife picked a $700 pair of shoes that looked remarkably similar to a $24 pair, but he bought them anyway.

    Though Leno is realistic about what being a caregiver to your spouse means.

    “When you have to feed someone and change them and carry them to the bathroom and do all that kind of stuff every day, it’s a challenge,” he said. “And it’s not that I enjoy doing it, but I guess I enjoy doing it.

    “It’s OK. Because I’m not just (thinking), ‘This person is attractive and sexy,’ and having sex with them and everything. At some point in my life, I’m going to be called upon to defend myself,” he said of the moral obligation. “I think that’s really what defines a marriage. I mean, that’s really what love is. That’s what you do.”

    The former late-night host said he’s proud he stayed the course.

    “I’m glad I didn’t cut and run. I’m glad I didn’t run off with some woman half my age or any of that silly nonsense. I would rather be with her than doing something else,” he said.

  • Meghan Markle, Prince Harry in New York for powerful memorial reveal

    Meghan Markle, Prince Harry in New York for powerful memorial reveal

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    Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan are criss-crossing the Big Apple this week.

    With a stop at the Time 100 Summit, Meghan spoke to a rapt audience in a breezy tan Ralph Lauren suit just in time for the city’s springtime thaw. Prince Harry watched on as his wife confessed she was the “happiest I’ve ever been,” according to People.

    Later in the week, the pair unveiled a touching new memorial.

    Through the Archewell Foundation, the royal couple’s philanthropic organization, the new installation will honor children whose lives were lost to “social media harms.”

    Entitled “The Lost Screen Memorial,” it features 50 large, illuminated smartphones with images of children who died due to harmful social media use. Their parents, all members of The Archewell Foundation Parents’ Network, have been invited to New York to lay flowers at the site.

    “These children were not sick. Their deaths were not inevitable — they were exposed to, and in many cases were pushed harmful content online, the kind any child could encounter,” Prince Harry said in a statement shared with USA TODAY April 24.

    “No child should be exploited, groomed, or preyed upon in digital spaces,” he continued. “To the platforms, they may be seen as statistics. To their families, they were cherished and irreplaceable.”

    Meghan also appeared at the memorial, taking in the exhibition and consoling the family members present at the unveiling.

    Open for just 24 hours, starting April 24, the project is meant to humanize the harms of social media use among young children and call for governments and private companies to act urgently to protect online spaces for young users. It is open to the public after a private memorial the evening of April 23.

    “While social media companies claim to be taking action, most still withhold critical data from grieving parents—data that could provide answers and accountability,” Prince Harry said. “This is a growing crisis. Social media is quietly taking our children, and those with the power to make change are failing to act.”

    Both Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan have been open about their own harmful experiences with social media, chronicling in their Netflix mini-series “Harry & Meghan” an online hate campaign that had the couple fearing for their safety.

    A rare bipartisan issue, politicians on both sides of the aisle have called for social media companies to bolster safeguards for young users.

    In 2023, the surgeon general issued a public health advisory noting social media use presents “a profound risk of harm” for kids’ and teens’ mental health and calling for “immediate action” from tech companies. 

    “This memorial is a collective act of remembrance, and a call to action. Each photo represents not just a child lost, but a family forever changed,” James Holt and Shauna Nep, Executive Directors of The Archewell Foundation, said in a statement shared with USA TODAY ahead of the memorial’s opening.

    “These parents are sharing the most painful parts of their lives so that no other family must experience the same heartbreak,” they said. “We hope this memorial inspires all of us—tech leaders, policymakers, and community members alike—to listen to their stories, to learn from them, and most importantly, to act. Online spaces should be safe by design, not an afterthought.”

  • Kendrick Lamar sets Billboard record with three albums in top 10Music

    Kendrick Lamar sets Billboard record with three albums in top 10Music

  • JoJo Siwa says she’s ‘queer’ not ‘lesbian’ on ‘Big Brother’

    JoJo Siwa says she’s ‘queer’ not ‘lesbian’ on ‘Big Brother’

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    JoJo Siwa is opening up about her evolving sexuality.

    In a moment captured on the April 22 livestream of “Celebrity Big Brother UK,” Siwa told co-star Danny Beard that she felt like “queer” was a more apt identifier for her than “lesbian.”

    “I feel, like, so queer, do you know what I mean?” Siwa, 21, told Bear, who landed in the house after a stint on “RuPaul’s Drag Race UK.”

    “I think that’s the thing, I’ve always told myself I’m a lesbian, and I think being here I’ve realized: ‘Oh, I’m not a lesbian, I’m queer.’ And I think that’s really cool,” Siwa continued.

    A children’s entertainer turned pop star, Siwa first came out in 2021 and is currently dating Australian influencer Kath Ebbs.

    Her candidness about coming out, and evolving as an entertainer in the public eye, has endeared her to a new set of fans − less interested in the brightly colored outfits and dance moves that made her a favorite among children and more fascinated by a newfound unfiltered nature.

    That quality is on full display during Siwa’s stint at the “Big Brother” house, where she’s formed an unlikely friendship with ex-“Love Island” star Chris Hughes.

    “I’m switching letters!” Siwa continued, in her comments to Bear, joking that she’s moved from the L to the Q in LGBTQ.

    “That’s what I love about sexuality,” she said.

    “You are Q, honey. And you know that British people love a queue!” Beard quipped.

    Earlier in the season, Siwa also mused about gender, saying: “Met a lot of males — love them, definitely not them. Met a lot of people in my life that are nonbinary, and these beautiful nonbinary people are who I feel the most like.

    “I don’t know, it’s not something I want to say about myself yet, but it’s something that is confusing,” she added.

    JoJo Siwa gets candid following Mickey Rourke’s ‘Big Brother’ exit

    Siwa’s revelation follows an exit from fellow castmate Mickey Rourke, who made inappropriate comments regarding her sexuality and used a slur.

    “If I stay longer than four days, you won’t be gay anymore,” Rourke, 72, said during an episode that aired earlier this month.

    “I can guarantee I’ll still be gay and I’ll still be in a very happy relationship,” Siwa shot back.

    The 72-year-old actor and former pro-boxer has since initiated legal action against the show, according to People and Buzzfeed, disputing his pay and alleging the series was “publicly embarrassing him.”

  • Pope funeral: Where is King Charles?

    Pope funeral: Where is King Charles?

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    King Charles III will not attend the funeral of Pope Francis alongside other world leaders.

    The British monarch is expected to skip the late pontiff’s funeral service at St Peter’s Basilica church in the Vatican on April 26, keeping in line with royal traditions, Kensington Palace confirmed to Vanity Fair and BBC. Instead, British heir Prince William will join President Donald Trump and U.K. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in Rome for the ceremonies.

    USA TODAY reached out to reps for Buckingham Palace for comment. The late Queen Elizabeth II, Charles’ mother and predecessor, never attended a funeral service for a head of the Roman Catholic Church during her 70-year reign.

    In 2005, when Charles and now-Queen Camilla were set to tie the knot, the couple’s wedding was delayed because Charles had to attend Pope John Paul II’s funeral in Elizabeth’s place that April. The ceremony was pushed back a day.

    Pope John Paul’s successor Pope Benedict XVI, who preceded Francis, died at 95 in 2022, but Charles did not attend his funeral because the service was not a state event. Benedict left the papacy nine years before his death amid a 2013 resignation, with Francis appointed that same year.

    Pope Francis, 88, died Easter Monday of a stroke and irreversible heart failure following a lengthy bout of double pneumonia, the Vatican shared. Despite Charles’ lack of attendance at his funeral, the pair shared a warm relationship.

    The monarch was the last head of state to meet with the late pope, who he saw during a state visit of Italy two weeks ago with Camilla. Charles, whose workload needs to be carefully managed due to his own cancer recovery, wrote privately to the pope when Francis was taken ill, a source previously told Reuters.

    King Charles, Queen Camilla were ‘deeply saddened’ by Pope Francis death

    The British royals mourned the death of Pope Francis in a lengthy statement on Monday.

    Charles, 76, wrote in a statement on social media that he and the queen were “deeply saddened” by the pope’s death, but their “heavy hearts were somewhat eased” knowing “His Holiness was able to share an Easter greeting with the Church and the world he served with such devotion throughout his life and ministry.”

    “His Holiness will be remembered for his compassion, his concern for the unity of the Church and for his tireless commitment to the common causes of all people of faith, and to those of goodwill who work for the benefit of others,” he added. “His belief that care for Creation is an existential expression of faith in God resounded with so many across the world.

    Charles continued: “Through his work and care for both people and planet, he profoundly touched the lives of so many. The Queen and I remember with particular affection our meetings with His Holiness over the years and we were greatly moved to have been able to visit him earlier this month.

    “We send our most heartfelt condolences and profound sympathy to the Church he served with such resolve and to the countless people around the world who, inspired by his life, will be mourning the devastating loss of this faithful father of Jesus Christ,” the statement concluded.

    Contributing: Anna Kaufman, Taijuan Moorman, Cybele Mayes-Osterman, John Bacon, Susan Miller, Bart Jansen and Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY

  • Lawyers argue over evidence, anonymous accusers, 911 call

    Lawyers argue over evidence, anonymous accusers, 911 call

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    Sean “Diddy” Combs’ lawyers are pushing back against the federal government’s early requests ahead of trial.

    The music mogul’s legal team has responded to the prosecutors’ requests about which evidence should be included – or excluded – in court documents filed in the Southern District of New York April 22. Judge Arun Subramanian’s ruling on these requests will shape the entirety of the Bad Boy Records founder’s trial, set to begin with jury selection May 5.

    Prosecutors and Combs’ team are arguing over evidence that could make or break either side’s case. Prosecutors appear to be setting up much of their case ahead of time, while Combs’ lawyers say the government is seeking sweeping decisions too soon.

    Diddy on Trial newsletter: Step inside the courtroom with USA TODAY as Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs faces sex crimes and trafficking charges. Subscribe to the newsletter. 

    Combs’ criminal trial is set to begin in less than two weeks. The 55-year-old Grammy-winning hip-hop mogul is on trial for two counts of sex trafficking, two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution and one count of racketeering. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

    Combs’ legal team is looking to iron out details around the government’s use of anonymous accusers, particularly the use of pseudonyms for “Victim-3” and “Victim-4,” arguing allowing these particular accusers to remain unnamed impacts Combs’ right to a fair trial and face his accusers publicly, and that the government’s reasoning for keeping them anonymous isn’t strong enough.

    Prosecutors also want broad permission to use statements made outside of court – which are typically not allowed – using several legal exceptions, including those made by alleged “co-conspirators,” Combs’ employees and prior statements from accusers. Combs’ lawyers argue that each should be reviewed case-by-case during the trial.

    Other evidence or testimony in question:

    • The admission of a 911 call from an alleged burglary victim of Combs
    • The government’s attempt to exclude evidence of Diddy’s consensual sexual encounters, personal background or “good acts”
    • The Combs team’s use of a rebuttal expert if a government expert is allowed to testify

    Why Diddy’s lawyers, prosecutors are arguing ahead of trial – including that 911 call

    Prosecutors are looking to use evidence from a December 2011 911 call from a man reporting a break-in, which prosecutors claim Combs committed. Combs’ lawyers say it’s inadmissible.

    Prosecutors don’t want Combs’ team sharing Combs’ prior sexual encounters where consent was present, nor “good acts” like philanthropic work or his personal life, as it may confuse and distract a jury.

    But Combs’ lawyers argue consensual sexual encounters would be used to rebut the government’s racketeering claims. His team also claimed that any evidence of “good acts” or personal background would not be used to get sympathy from the jury.

    The government is also seeking witness testimony from Dr. Dawn Hughes, a clinical and forensic psychologist, who is set to explain to the jury concepts and patterns of domestic and sexual abuse. Combs’ team wants to offer its own witness, Dr. Alexander Bardey, a psychiatrist said to disagree with Hughes’ “opinion that certain patterns are typical in such cases.”

    Contributing: KiMi Robinson

  • 'Vanderpump Hotel' is coming to the Las Vegas StripEntertainment

    ‘Vanderpump Hotel’ is coming to the Las Vegas StripEntertainment

  • Harvey Weinstein photos: From Hollywood to convictionCelebrities

    Harvey Weinstein photos: From Hollywood to convictionCelebrities

    Harvey Weinstein photos: From Hollywood to convictionCelebrities