Category: BUSINESS

  • Ben Foster and Laura Prepon divorce: Actor alleges ‘cruel’ treatment

    Ben Foster and Laura Prepon divorce: Actor alleges ‘cruel’ treatment

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    Ben Foster and Laura Prepon are shedding light on the breakdown of their relationship amid their ongoing divorce battle.

    Six months after Foster filed for divorce, the “Long Day’s Journey into Night” star filed an amended complaint in the former couple’s proceeding on March 18, according to a review of Davidson County Circuit Court records by USA TODAY on Sunday.

    Foster, who cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for his breakup with Prepon, accused his estranged wife of “inappropriate marital conduct” in the complaint, according to People magazine and In Touch. In response, Prepon detailed her own allegations of misconduct against Foster in a counter complaint on March 19, court records show.

    USA TODAY has reached out to representatives for Foster and Prepon for comment.

    Foster and Prepon married in 2018 after the pair’s long-term friendship evolved into a romance around 2015. The actors share two children, 7-year-old daughter Ella and a 5-year-old son.

    Foster filed for divorce on Sept. 9, 2024, the same day the couple separated, according to court records reviewed by USA TODAY at the time. The Emmy-winning actor also asked the court to uphold their prenuptial agreement, “marital dissolution agreement and agreed parenting plan.”

    Laura Prepon accuses Ben Foster of ‘habitual drunkenness’ after Foster alleges ‘inappropriate marital conduct’

    In his amended complaint, Foster claims Prepon’s “inappropriate marital conduct” serves as additional grounds for the couple’s divorce, according to People and In Touch.

    While Foster didn’t specify Prepon’s alleged behavior, he reportedly described her conduct as “cruel and inhuman treatment” that makes living together “unsafe and improper.”

    According to the outlets, Foster also requested that the court determine a joint custody schedule for the former couple and the amount of child support he will pay Prepon.

    Prepon denied Foster’s allegations and demanded “strict proof” of her alleged misconduct in the March 19 filing, People and In Touch report.

    The “That ’70s Show” star also reportedly accused Foster of “cruel and inhuman treatment” during their marriage, alleging her estranged husband was “guilty of habitual drunkenness,” according to the outlets.

    In contrast to Foster’s stance on child custody, Prepon is asking the court to designate her the “primary residential parent” as the pair are not “fit and proper parents to be awarded the joint care, custody, and control of the parties’ minor children,” per People and In Touch.

    Contributing: KiMi Robinson, USA TODAY

  • Conan O’Brien at Mark Twain Prize: Comedian receives 2025 honor

    Conan O’Brien at Mark Twain Prize: Comedian receives 2025 honor

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    WASHINGTON — Conan O’Brien took home the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor on Sunday, where the spotlight was just as much on the Kennedy Center, where he accepted the prize, as the Emmy-winning comedian himself.

    A host of comedians including David Letterman, Adam Sandler, Sarah Silverman and Stephen Colbert celebrated O’Brien for comic greatness while ribbing President Donald Trump, whose takeover of the Kennedy Center has shaken the arts world.

    O’Brien himself accepted the honor with a not-so-subtle broadside against the Trump administration.

    “Twain hated bullies,” O’Brien said. “He punched up, not down. And he deeply, deeply empathized with the weak.”

    O’Brien described the award’s namesake as “allergic to hypocrisy” and suspicious of populism and imperialism. “He loved America but knew it was deeply flawed,” O’Brien said.

    O’Brien told reporters before the show that he wanted to go through with the event to support Kennedy Center workers. “Our country has been through many different sea changes, and my thought is I will be here specifically to honor Mark Twain and the people that this award stands for,” he said.

    Other comedians joked that this would be the last Mark Twain Prize awarded by the Center. John Mulaney cracked that the facility, which is seen as a memorial to slain former President John F. Kennedy, would be renamed after Roy Cohn, a political fixer known for his role in Sen. Joseph McCarthy’s anti-communist scare campaigns of the 1950s, and a lawyer for Trump in his early years in business.

    Colbert quipped that the center was previously a “very different place” before the Trump takeover.

    “Today they announced two board members: Bashar al-Assad and Skeletor,” he said from the stage, referring to the former president of Syria and a cartoon villain.

    Trump takes over Kennedy Center, makes himself chairman and appoints loyalists

    The show is the first signature event at the Kennedy Center since its takeover by Trump, who last month announced he would become chairman of the institution, pushing out billionaire philanthropist David Rubenstein.

    Trump dismissed board members appointed by former President Joe Biden and installed officials loyal to him. He handed leadership reins for the facility to Richard Grenell, a close Trump ally and former ambassador to Germany who is serving as envoy for special missions in the current administration.

    The new board, which includes White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and Usha Vance, wife of Vice President JD Vance, fired its former president, Deborah Rutter. Trump visited the center last week and declared it in “tremendous disrepair.”

    O’Brien thanked Rubenstein and Rutter in his remarks, drawing loud applause from the audience.

    Along with the annual Kennedy Center Honors in December, the Mark Twain Prize is one of the premier events at the renowned arts institution, complete with red carpet arrivals for its performers and stars.

    Trump did not attend the event on Sunday and did not attend any of the Honors performances during his first term.

    O’Brien hosted the Oscars earlier this month and is slated to come back in the emcee role next year. He was the host of “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” and “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien” on NBC and “Conan” on TBS. He is a former writer for “Saturday Night Live.”

    “You are a genius, my friend,” comedian and actor Will Ferrell said of O’Brien from the stage. “You’re an absolute giant in the world of comedy,” said actor and comedian Tracy Morgan.

    Previous winners of the Mark Twain Prize include Kevin Hart, Adam Sandler, Jon Stewart, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Carol Burnett. The event will be broadcast at a later date on Netflix.

    Contributing: Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY

  • Wilson Phillips reunites with ’90s hit song

    Wilson Phillips reunites with ’90s hit song

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    As we all know, “American Idol” has its contestants put their own spin on covers of famous songs. But this week, the standout auditions were arrangements we’d never heard before.

    For every trendy audition song (think Teddy Swims’ “Lose Control” and Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things”), a hopeful “Idol” delivered a moving song they’d written themselves, which more often than not evoked tears from Carrie Underwood.

    Twenty-five-year-old Nina Daig sang an emotional tribute (“Average Joe”) to her life-changing older brother; Drew Ryn gave Luke Bryan one of his favorite performances of the day with her whisper-singing on “Walk on Water;” car enthusiast Sam Sparks channeled his struggles from a life-changing car accident into a song called “Colorado Gray” that packed a punch; and Freddie McClendon channeled his emotions about his dad’s murder into “You Never Loved Him.”

    The lack of a platinum ticket in this episode doesn’t mean the auditions were a snooze. As with past episodes, a few (but not as many) music industry notables made appearances to give their kids a morale boost, or perhaps a leg up in the judges’ eyes.

    Plenty of performances perked our ears up this week, and these were the more memorable moments.

    What’s happening in Hollywood: Sign up for USA TODAY’s Entertainment newsletter.

    Freddie McClendon pours his grief into song a year after dad Davis McClendon’s murder

    South Carolina college student Freddie McClendon, 19, came to “Idol” to show the world that Davis McClendon “was something so much bigger than just the true-crime story of the week.”

    “He was our dad; he meant the world to us,” Freddie told the judges about dad Davis, a marketing director at an assisted living facility and retirement community who was killed at age 46 in May 2023. Davis’ girlfriend’s estranged husband was reportedly sentenced to 45 years in jail in October for McClendon’s murder.

    Though he’d been songwriting since he was a high school freshman, it became more than a hobby after his dad’s death; it was a way for him to voice his emotions. In “You Never Loved Him,” Freddie grieves how his family “never got to tell him goodbye” and seems to allude to residual anger he feels about his untimely loss.

    His voice was unique and imperfect − perfection wasn’t the point. “You’ve got a really honest approach to this thing. It’s like our little modern-day Paul Simon,” Bryan said. After she wiped her tears away, Underwood told Freddie: “It’s so brave of you to decide that you want to choose the narrative that you want to remember him (as) him. Not what happened, but him.”

    With his mom on one side and two weeping sisters on the other, the judges had no choice but to say “yes.”

    Carrie Underwood fangirls as Wilson Phillips reunites for a performance of ‘Hold On’

    Two weeks after Brian Littrell from the Backstreet Boys helped son Baylee through to Hollywood Week, we were due for another dose of nepotism.

    The judges thought they would simply witness another father-daughter performance with 19-year-old college student Lola singing with her dad, Rob Bonfiglio, accompanying on guitar. But before they launched into their song, Lola brought in some backup: her mom, Carnie Wilson, and aunt Wendy Wilson. Which, yes, makes Lola one of Brian Wilson’s grandchildren.

    Lola, Carnie and Wendy first sang the 1990 chart-topper “Hold On” as Underwood mouthed along. But it was time for Lola to fly away from the nest, and she sang Kacey Musgraves’ “Rainbow” as mom cried with pride and fanned her face from the sidelines.

    Her performance was good enough to get her to the next round, but the judges sent her home with some homework to level up before she faces at least 100 other contestants in Hollywood Week. Lionel Richie challenged her to “tell us a story” with her voice, while Bryan warned Lola the competition will require her to belt out some songs and fill “up the room a little more.”

    “But you’ve got a beautiful voice,” he complimented.

    A Benson Boone cover nearly blew Lionel Richie’s hair away

    If anything, 26-year-old music teacher Desmond Roberts deserves praise for his 120-mile commute from his home in Corona, southeast of Los Angeles, to the School of Rock where he teaches. Well, there’s also his rendition of “Beautiful Things” which Richie claimed blew his hair away.

    Desmond took to the piano for the TikTok-famous ballad, and as he belted out the catchy chorus, it came across as more effortful than Benson Boone’s powerhouse performance. But he sprinkled in a few new notes here and there, and the judges were blown away — almost literally.

    “You invented notes, I think,” Underwood said, while Richie claimed he was “still trying to get the curls back in my hair.”

    Desmond came outside to his family with a golden ticket, which we’re left to assume meant three votes of confidence from the judges.

    Who got a ticket to Hollywood in Episode 3?

    A dozen singers were advanced to the next stage, but none received a platinum ticket this week.

    • Penny Samar
    • Jamier
    • Sophia Humbert
    • Mattie Pruitt
    • John Foster
    • Nina Daig
    • Desmond Roberts
    • Jamal Roberts
    • Drew Ryn
    • Sam Sparks
    • Lola
    • Freddie McClendon

  • ‘White Lotus’ Episode 6: The incest afterparty

    ‘White Lotus’ Episode 6: The incest afterparty

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    Spoiler alert: This story includes plot details from Episode 6 of HBO’s “The White Lotus.”

    All the wild parties must come to an end after last week’s episode of HBO comedy “The White Lotus.” But the unhappy ending is especially head-pounding for Saxon Ratliff (Patrick Schwarzenegger).

    Saxon has to deal with the after-effects of copious alcohol and a rare foray into drugs (so much for his mantra, “Saxon doesn’t do drugs, Saxon is the drug!”). And this is world-class hangover acting by the wobbly, squinting Schwarzenegger, aided by blurry camera work from writer-director Mike White.

    Saxon also comes to the horrifyingly clear realization in Full Moon party flashbacks that the incest kiss with brother Lochlan (Sam Nivola) on the yacht went much further than viewers saw last week. After waking up naked next to similarly unclothed Lochlan, Saxon’s growing fear is confirmed in the worst possible way — by his beautiful party mates Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) and Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon), who encouraged the initial kiss.

    Sitting by the hotel pool, as Chelsea bites into an apple, Saxon insists it was the women who forced the brotherly kiss. But Chloe informs Saxon that, as he feared, that brother Lochlan brought him to a climax during the yacht night of debauchery.

    “That never happened,” Saxon stammers. “What? I don’t remember. I blacked out.”

    But his world is rocked. Not only did this unthinkable act occur with his brother, but these women are laughing at him. Schwarzenegger says Saxon is “totally lost” by the evening’s events. “Everything he stood for is now not who he is.” And it’s great comedy, right down to Saxon’s furious over-spraying of mosquito repellent.

    Lochlan, too, takes the blackout excuse immediately, telling his brother that morning, “I cannot remember last night at all.” But when the memory floods back during meditation, the Buddhist monk says of unwelcome thoughts: “Gently let them go. Goodbye!”

    Saxon shoots up the rankings for most likely to be part of ‘White Lotus’ finale violence

    The pain compounds for Saxon, who can’t understand why Chelsea won’t have sex with him. The sweetest woman ever tells him, “You’re soulless. Sad.” Whatever soul Saxon does have hits him there.

    The bad morning capper: Chloe informs Saxon that her wealthy, nefarious boyfriend Gary (or Greg, as actor Jon Gries is known in previous seasons of “White Lotus”) knows what went down on his yacht. She hooked up with both brothers, and Gary now wants to have dinner with Saxon and the family.

    “Bring them over tonight,” Gary tells Chloe. “I need to deal with something. I need your help.”

    Chloe knows he’s dangerous. “Gary is going to dump me, or worse,” she frets privately to Chelsea. Still, she makes the invite (“He doesn’t seem that mad”), and somehow Saxon invites his troubled family.

    Who else is headed for trouble in ‘White Lotus’?

    It’s going to be an eventful evening in next week’s seventh episode (Sunday, 9 ET/PT, and streaming on Max). Gary invites visiting White Lotus Maui spa manager Belinda (Natasha Rothwell), who has ID’d him as the husband of the suspiciously dead heiress Tanya McQuoid (Jennifer Coolidge).

    Resort general manager Fabian (Christian Friedel) has also invited Belinda to watch as he sings for the resort guests, a first-time event he’s extremely nervous about.

    The series’ childhood best friends are officially fighting after actress Jaclyn’s (Michelle Monaghan) secret tryst with their Russian spa guru Valentin (Arnas Fedaravičius) is exposed by the hurt Laurie (Carrie Coon). Yet the trio, including Kate (Leslie Bibb), still plan to attend a Muay Thai match with Valentin and his Russian friends, the trio who may be behind the jewelry-store robbery in Episode 2.

    Earnest security guard Gaitok (Tayme Thapthimthong) proves a dead-eye whiz with the newly retrieved gun at the shooting range. His boss asks him, “But do you have the killer instinct?” Not the kind of thoughts Gaitok wants for his first date with his beautiful resort co-worker, Mook (Lalisa Manoban).

    Piper Ratliff (Sarah Catherine Hook) plans to spend the night at the Buddhist monastery to see if she can handle living there for a year. Brother Lochlan agrees to stay with her. Don’t rule these two out of trouble, despite their tranquil surroundings.

    And, of course, there’s Rick Hatchett (Walton Goggins), who’s finally getting his revenge meeting with Jim (Scott Glenn), the rich, powerful man he believes killed his father. Rick has promised Frank (Sam Rockwell), his ex-criminal in arms, that he won’t even bring the gun his local friend procured. But before they step out on the dock of the Bangkok mansion, Rick checks to make sure the gun is in his pocket before filing past suspicious bodyguards.

    And what’s in Jim’s hand as he’s seen descending the stairways? It looks like a knife.

    As Frank says after looking at Rick with the gun, “Here we go.”

  • Release date, how to watch, trailer

    Release date, how to watch, trailer

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    Editor’s note: Season 29 spoilers ahead!

    It’s time for “The Bachelor” Grant Ellis to decide who he wants to spend the rest of his life with.

    After a crucial week in the Dominican Republic, Grant’s journey on “The Bachelor” to find love is almost at the end, with just two women left vying for his heart: Litia and Juliana. Zoe McGrady, the 27-year-old model and engineer from New York didn’t make it.

    In the teaser for the final episode, Grant is seen holding a ring box and says: “Now, I feel confused. I love two women. It’s an impossible decision. It’s impossible. It’s not normal that you go into an engagement and you’re still trying to figure out who your person is… This is insane.”

    Will Grant be able to decide who to propose to?

    After making his decision, Grant will join host Jesse Palmer “in front of a live studio audience to watch his final dates and the emotional conclusion of his journey unfold.”

    Here’s what to know about the final episode of Season 29 of “The Bachelor,” including more about the two lovely ladies, the trailer and how to watch it.

    Watch The Bachelor on Sling

    Join our Watch Party! Sign up to receive USA TODAY’s movie and TV recommendations right in your inbox

    ‘The Bachelor’ Season 29 finale: Top 2 contestants

    The final two participants going into the finale include:

    Juliana

    • Age: 28
    • Occupation: Client service associate
    • Hometown: Newton, Massachusetts

    Litia

    • Age: 31
    • Occupation: Venture capitalist
    • Hometown: Salt Lake City, Utah

    What time does ‘The Bachelor’ finale air? Date, time

    The final episode of Season 29 of “The Bachelor” will air on Monday, March 24 from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET/PT.

    Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

    How to watch ‘The Bachelor’ Season 29 finale

    “The Bachelor” airs live on ABC on Mondays, with new episodes available to stream on Hulu the next day.

    ‘The Bachelor’: Stream on Hulu | Watch on Sling

    ‘The Bachelor’ finale Trailer

    Who is Grant Ellis?

    Season 29’s “Bachelor” Grant Ellis is a 31-year-old day trader from New Jersey and a former pro basketball player.

    A Lakers fan, Ellis enjoys “hitting strikes at the bowling alley, or belting out tunes at karaoke nights,” per ABC. Grant is the second Black man to lead “The Bachelor” since the show first premiered in 2002. Matt James was cast as the first Black bachelor in 2020.

    Ellis “captured the hearts of Bachelor Nation on Season 21 of ‘The Bachelorette’ with his infectious smile and unwavering positivity,” ABC says, adding that “fans saw Ellis’ genuine desire to build a future centered on family” before his emotional exit.

    “As the Bachelor, Ellis is eager to embark on a journey filled with romance, adventure and genuine connections,” according to ABC, and “hopes to find a partner who shares his values of loyalty, humor and a deep appreciation for life’s simple pleasures.”

    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.

  • Joe Gatto of ‘Impractical Jokers’ denies sexual assault allegation

    Joe Gatto of ‘Impractical Jokers’ denies sexual assault allegation

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    “Impractical Jokers” star Joe Gatto is acknowledging he exercised “poor judgment” but denying a TikTok user’s claims of sexual assault.

    The comedian, 48, responded Sunday after a TikToker known as joozyb alleged in a series of viral videos that Gatto sexually assaulted her in 2023, when she was 19.

    “I have used poor judgment and as a result have violated the trust of the people I love most,” Gatto said in a statement provided to USA TODAY on Sunday. “But anyone who knows me at all knows full well that I wouldn’t assault anyone.”

    He added, “Working on myself is an ongoing process, and I am now going to take some time away from the public eye to focus my energies where I need to.”

    USA TODAY has reached out to the TikTok user for comment.

    The response came after TikTok user joozyb alleged, “I got sexually assaulted by Joe Gatto.” In a 10-minute clip posted Friday, she said she met the comedian after running into him while at brunch, where she said he invited her to see his comedy show that night.

    After the performance, the TikTok user alleged that she went to see Gatto at his hotel. “I don’t want to go into the details about everything,” she said, but added that she doesn’t “want any girl to feel” the way he made her feel.

    The user shared multiple photos of herself with the comic and screenshots of alleged messages with him, including one that appeared to show instructions on how to get to a hotel room. The woman also posted a photo showing her with a large bruise on her bottom, which she claimed he left “with his teeth.” A video that the user said she took after leaving the hotel room appeared to have a time stamp of 2:26 in the morning on Sept. 9, 2023.

    In a separate TikTok video, the woman pushed back on comments expressing doubt about her story. “I’m sorry if you don’t want to believe it, but the people you idolize are not always going to be good,” she said.

    Gatto starred on “Impractical Jokers” for nine seasons before leaving the popular hidden camera show in 2021. He said at the time that he would step away “due to some issues in my personal life” amid his separation from his wife, Bessy. “Bessy and I have decided to amicably part ways, so now I need to focus on being the best father and co-parent to our two incredible kids,” he said.

    While celebrating his and his wife’s anniversary in September 2023, Gatto shared that they had reconciled. “Thanks for this decade,” he wrote on Instagram. “And I’m happy and hopeful that we will be able to get a few more in because we have proven with compassion, forgiveness and an open heart we can do this. Together.”

    Speaking to USA TODAY last year, Gatto said that trying to balance his stand-up career with starring on “Impractical Jokers” “affected my life in an adverse way.” But he said he would “never say never” to the possibility of working with the team from the show again.

    “It’s been three years almost at this point that I’ve been off the show,” he said. “The show’s moved on for me. I’ve moved on from the show.”

    Contributing: Ralphie Aversa

  • Brennan Elliott’s wife dies after cancer battle

    Brennan Elliott’s wife dies after cancer battle

    Brennan Elliott is mourning the death of his wife after her years-long battle with cancer.

    In an emotional Instagram post on Saturday, the Hallmark star, 49, announced “with a soul crushing devastated heart” that his wife Camilla Row has died from gastric cancer.

    “Our babies and I lost our rock, a person who not only was the love of my life, my soulmate, my best friend and lover but the toughest strongest fearless person I have ever met in my life and the greatest mother to her babies,” he said. “The pain she endured only I might know but assure all who loved her she is in peace with no more pain. … Heaven is a far better place with you in it my love.”

    Elliott, who shared a photo of his wife on the beach, said she would have wanted him to thank “every person from all over the world who prayed for her” over the past eight years while she battled cancer.

    He also thanked her for being “the best wife, mother and friend I’ve ever known,” adding, “What you did for the #gastriccancer community was immeasurable, but what you did for me as a man will last forever.”

    Elliott had been married to Row, a clinical psychologist, since 2011, and they shared two children.

    In 2022, the “UnREAL” star announced on Instagram that Row, after having “several bouts with cancer” in the past, was battling Stage 4 metastatic gastric cancer.

    “There is no one I consider braver, stronger, more fearless even when you’re faced with a sinister opponent who never plays fair,” he wrote at the time.

    “Even after countless surgeries and chemotherapy rounds, she forges ahead into spring taking on the one of the most aggressive types of chemotherapy and immunotherapy.”

    Stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, makes up about 1.5% of cancers diagnosed in the United States annually. According to the Mayo Clinic, metastatic stomach cancer occurs when stomach cancer spreads to other parts of the body.

    Last year, Row told Today that she was diagnosed with stomach cancer after experiencing severe heartburn, which was so painful that she thought she was having a heart attack. She said her treatment included having her stomach removed and undergoing chemotherapy.

    “I’ve actually just surpassed my expiration date because when I was first diagnosed (with Stage 4 cancer), the longest prognosis I got was 24 months,” she told Today.

    In a 2022 interview with Hope for Stomach Cancer, Row also shared, “Initially, I was secretive of my Stage 4 status because I didn’t want people to look at me as a sickly cancer patient, but now I feel like I am on a mission to spread awareness and hopefully be an example of a Stage 4 patient who is thriving.”

    Row posted on her private Instagram account in June that she was undergoing another surgery and noted her husband was by her side in the hospital, according to People. “Brennan has been pulling double duty, prepping for a movie & coming to see me daily, making the best of a makeshift office in my hospital room as I nap,” she wrote.

    Elliott received numerous messages of condolences in the comments of his Instagram post announcing Row’s death, with actor Cameron Mathison writing, “This brought me to tears my beautiful friend. We’ve talked many times through her journey and I just love you all so much. I’m so so sorry for your loss and may you hold onto her beautiful memories for a lifetime.”

    The official Hallmark Instagram account also commented, “We are heartbroken for you and your family. We are so sorry.”

    Contributing: Elizabeth Weise

  • Mexican band on Rock Hall of Fame, upcoming tour

    Mexican band on Rock Hall of Fame, upcoming tour

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    After nearly four decades of hits – including “Rayando el Sol,” “Oye Mi Amor,” “Mariposa Traicionera” and “Labios Compartidos” − Mexican rock band Maná is finally getting its due.

    In February, the Grammy-winning group − lead vocalist Fher Olvera, 65, drummer Alex González, 56, guitarist Sergio Vallín, 52, and bass player Juan Calleros, 62 − became the first Spanish language band nominated for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction.

    “Getting to this point in our career is like a dream,” Olvera tells USA TODAY. “Truthfully, if you had told me a few years ago that this would happen, I wouldn’t have believed it.”

    This year’s nominees also include music icons Mariah Carey, Billy Idol, Oasis and Cyndi Lauper.

    Since Mana’s beginnings in 1986 − the same year the first class of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees made their mark (Elvis Presley, James Brown, Little Richard, to name a few) − the band has released 11 albums, including their 1992 album “¿Dónde Jugarán Los Niños?” which became the best selling Spanish language rock album of all time.

    This nomination “is an achievement shared with people who supported us from the beginning,” Olvera adds.

    González, who also serves as songwriter for Maná, says he’s thankful to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame committee because “it’s the first time since it was established that they’ve nominated a band singing solely in Spanish.

    “For them to look our way and say, look at the musical impact this band has had in the United States, but also the social impact of the things they’ve done and the multigenerational reach we’ve had, is an honor,” he adds. Whether the band is inducted or not, “The fact that they took us into account and nominated us opens a huge door for other artists in the future, not just Maná.”

    Maná on their humble beginning, breaking new records with arena tour

    Maná is also looking to break records with their new tour. The rockers will embark on a 30-date North American Vivir Ain Aire tour (named after their iconic 1992 song) this fall, kicking off with back-to-back September dates in San Antonio, Texas.

    “It’s about time we get back to the States and feel the excitement of our fans,” Olvera says. “Music serves as a way for us to heal and Maná, as a band, embodies that virtue.”

    In November, Maná will also return to Los Angeles’ Kia Forum for four shows and is slated to break the record for most arena shows performed in the city’s history with a total of 44 concerts. The title is held by Bruce Springsteen at 42 shows.

    “It’s impressive that we’ve been compared to the great musicians and artists who have performed hundreds of concerts in the United States and who are very beloved,” Calleros says.

    Olvera adds: “It’s incredible, but on the other hand, it’s all thanks to the fans because Los Angeles is our second home. That’s where Maná’s career in the United States began, and the fans are part of this achievement.”

    The vocalist recalled one of the first shows they played in Los Angeles in a small Sunset Boulevard venue. “I think there were around 500 people,” Olvera says, adding their fanbase grew by word of mouth from fans.

    On their Vivir Sin Aire tour, Maná will visit cities including Nashville, St. Louis, Baltimore, Montreal and Detroit for the first time. Vallín says it is a testament to the growing Latino community and “we’re very excited that our music keeps reaching new fans and new places.”

    The band will tour through spring 2026 with North Carolina as its final stop.

    Maná’s tour to ‘celebrate how incredible the Latino community is’

    Known for their evocative lyricism and high-energy shows, Maná goes beyond the music by highlighting environmental, social, political and human rights issues.

    “Maná was formed in 1986, so you can only imagine how many things we’ve seen socially and politically not only in our beloved Mexico but also in Latin America, Spain and the US,” says González. “We’ve been a band that’s held the Latino community close, as well as our Mexican people and all of our Latino brothers and sisters.”

    In 2018, when they became the first group to receive the Latin Recording Academy’s Person of the Year award, they used their acceptance speech to promote a message of unity and justice during Donald Trump’s first presidency. 

    Now, in 2025, amid a second Trump presidency, Maná is still using its platform to support the Latino community by creating a space with their shows where fans can drown out the political noise and let loose.

    “It’s not the first time there have been problems in the US with different social issues,” says González. “So we’re simply going to celebrate how incredible the Latino community is, the contributions the Latino community has made and the weight we hold as a group of people.”

    But, ultimately, “let it be a great party.”

    Maná ‘Vivir Sin Aire’ 2025 tour dates

    Sept. 5 – San Antonio, TX – Frost Bank Center

    Sept. 6 – San Antonio, TX – Frost Bank Center

    Sept. 11 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre

    Sept. 19 – St. Louis, MO – Enterprise Center

    Sept. 20 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena

    Sept. 26 – Chicago, IL – United Center

    Sept. 27 – Chicago, IL – United Center

    Oct. 3 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre

    Oct. 4 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena

    Oct. 10 – Boston, MA – TD Garden

    Oct. 11 – Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena

    Nov. 1 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center

    Nov. 2 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center

    Nov. 7 – Phoenix, AZ – PHX Arena

    Nov. 8 – Phoenix, AZ – PHX Arena

    Nov. 14 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum

    Nov. 15 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum

    Nov. 21 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum

    Nov. 22 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum

    Dec. 5 – San Jose, CA – SAP Center

    Dec. 6 – San Jose, CA – SAP Center

    Maná ‘Vivir Sin Aire’ 2026 tour dates

    Feb. 21 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena

    Feb. 27 – Belmont Park, NY – UBS Arena

    Feb. 28 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center

    March 7 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center

    March 20 – Orlando, FL – Kia Center

    March 27 – Miami, FL – Kaseya Center

    March 28 – Miami, FL – Kaseya Center

    April 3 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena

    April 4 – Greensboro, NC – First Horizon Coliseum

  • ‘I LOVE THIS ALBUM SO MUCH’

    ‘I LOVE THIS ALBUM SO MUCH’

    Every once in a while, Taylor Swift makes a resounding endorsement on Instagram, and on Saturday, she applauded longtime friend Selena Gomez and her fiancé Benny Blanco.

    In all capital letters, the Eras Tour singer posted an Instagram Story with a photo of Gomez and Blanco’s new album, “I Said I Loved You First,” with the caption, “I LOVE THIS ALBUM SO MUCH OH MY GODDDDDDDDDDDD.”

    The couple has been on an extensive media tour. In an episode of “Hot Ones,” Blanco told host Sean Evans that Gomez turned him into a Swiftie: “Obviously, I was aware of Taylor Swift’s music, but I wasn’t a true Swiftie. Now we’re in the car singing Taylor Swift’s songs from like 10 years ago, and I feel free.”

    Long live the Eras Tour with our enchanting book

    Swift has been in her lying-low era, skipping the iHeartRadioAwards, where she received “Tour of the Century” honors. She hasn’t posted to her Instagram timeline since her final tour performance in Vancouver last December, making it the longest social media suppression since she disappeared in 2016 prior to the release of her album “Reputation.”

    Last year, Swift threw support behind her “Fortnight” collaborator Post Malone’s album “F-1 Trillion” and Sabrina Carpenter’s “Short n’ Sweet” album. She also told her legion of fans to go see Ryan Reynolds’ movie “Deadpool & Wolverine” and Zoë Kravitz’s film “Blink Twice.”

    Don’t miss any Taylor Swift news; sign up for the free, weekly newsletter This Swift Beat.

    Follow Bryan West, the USA TODAY Network’s Taylor Swift reporter, on Instagram, TikTok and X as @BryanWestTV.

  • Crossword Blog & Answers for March 23, 2025 by Sally Hoelscher

    Crossword Blog & Answers for March 23, 2025 by Sally Hoelscher

    There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today’s puzzle before reading further! Hold It (Freestyle)

    Constructor: Zachary Edward-Brown

    Editor: Anna Gundlach

    Comments from Today’s Crossword Constructor

    Zachary: I’d like to thank Amanda and the USA Today team for helping me make this puzzle as good as possible. For any future collaborations, email me at [email protected]. I’d love to do more collaboration work.

    What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle

    • MONROE (8D: “Longlegs” star Maika) Longlegs is a 2024 horror movie (set in the 1990s) about an FBI agent tracking down a serial killer. Each case involves a father killing his family and himself, and the killer leaves behind a letter signed by “Longlegs.” Maika MONROE stars as an FBI agent assigned to the case.

    Random Thoughts & Interesting Things

    • ALL (5A: The “A” in GOAT) GOAT stands for “greatest of ALL time.”
    • MOONS (8A: Saturn has over 140 of them) This is a timely clue, because just this month, astronomers confirmed the presence of 128 additional MOONS orbiting Saturn. This brings the number of confirmed MOONS for Saturn to 274. Hooray for science in the crossword!
    • SPONGEBOB (16A: Fry cook at the Krusty Krab) This is a reference to the animated TV series SPONGEBOB Square Pants. On the show, which is in its 15th season, SPONGEBOB works as a fry cook at the Krusty Krab, a fast food restaurant owned by Mr. Krabs.
    • NAME DROP (20A: Casually mention having lunch with Taylor Swift, say) Ha! This clue definitely made me laugh.
    • ONEIDA (22A: Nation in the Haudenosaunee Confederacy) The Haudenosaunee are an indigenous confederacy comprised of Six Nations: the Mohawk, Onondaga, ONEIDA, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora peoples. The ONEIDA people refer to themselves as Onyota’a:ka, which means “People of the Standing Stone.”
    • EMU (31A: Bird in Australian Aboriginal rock art) Aboriginal people (Indigenous peoples of the Australian mainland) used rock surfaces as a canvas. Rock art has been discovered in rock shelters and in caves. The artwork often depicts stick figures. Some pictures contain representations of EMUs, including EMU tracks and eggs.
    • ACME (34A: Company that supplies Wile E. Coyote with invisible paint) The ACME Corporation is a fictional business featured in the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote cartoons. The company is the source of many devices used by Wile E. Coyote in his attempt to outwit the Road Runner, such as invisible paint, anvils, exploding tennis balls, dehydrated boulders, rocket-powered roller skates, and, well, you get the idea.
    • IKEA (40A: Furniture chain that sells lingonberry jam) This clue made me smile. I don’t go to IKEA often, but when I do, it’s fun to browse their section of Swedish food products. Lingonberries, which are native to boreal forest and the Arctic tundra, grow wild in the Nordic countries, including Sweden. Lingonberry jam is traditionally served alongside Swedish meatballs (you can also buy those at IKEA).
    • MILK MOUSTACHE (52A: “Facial hair” that results from a certain drink) The iconic ads of celebrities sporting MILK MOUSTACHEs grew out of a 1990s ad campaign for the California Milk Processor Board. The first MILK MOUSTACHE ad, accompanied by the iconic “got MILK?” slogan ran in 1995. It featured model Naomi Campbell.
    • ABBA (58A: “Dancing Queen” group) Every single time “Dancing Queen” is referenced in a clue for ABBA, I get this song stuck in my head. There are, admittedly, much worse fates. Good thing I’m a fan of this song, originally released by ABBA in 1976. “You’re in the mood for a dance / And when you get the chance / You are the dancing queen…”
    • HANOI (3D: Capital of Vietnam) Time to review some geography. Vietnam is a country in Southeast Asia. Its neighbors are China, Laos, and Cambodia, and it has coastline along the Gulf of Thailand and the South China Sea. HANOI is the capital of Vietnam, and the country’s largest city is Ho Chi Minh City.
    • EGG (4D: Easter ___ (video game secret)) This is a fun clueing angle for EGG. The term “Easter EGG,” referring to some secret message or content, is used not only in the world of video games, but also in movies, music videos, social media posts, computer software, etc. Programmers have been creating hidden surprises in video games since at least 1973, but the term “Easter EGG” didn’t come into use to refer to these secrets until programmer Warren Robinett hid his name in the 1980 Atari game Adventure in response to Atari not including programmers’ names in the credits. When his name was eventually discovered, Atari realized it was going to be too expensive to remove it. Instead, they kept it, referred to it as an Easter EGG, and encouraged the inclusion of Easter EGGs in future games.
    • ALBA (5D: “Fantastic Four” actress Jessica) Jessica ALBA plays the role of Susan Storm/ Invisible Woman in the movies Fantastic Four (2005) and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007). 
    • OREOS (9D: Cookies filled with “Stuf”) The other day I was at a gathering where cookies were being served, and some of those cookies were OREOS. I took one to my husband and said, “Have a crossword’s-favorite-cookie.”
    • DRY (21D: Like some deserts and some humor) I was extra careful to avoid a typo here. Deserts are DRY, but desserts should generally not be.
    • EMMA (25D: “Superbad” actress Stone) Superbad is a 2007 coming-of-age movie. Jonah Hill and Michael Cera star as teenagers Seth and Evan who want to party and lose their virginity prior to graduating from high school. EMMA Stone plays a supporting role as Jules, a friend of Seth’s. Superbad was EMMA Stone’s movie debut.
    • DENIM (30D: Jorts material) Jorts are DENIM shorts. The term “jorts” is a portmanteau of “jeans” and “shorts.”
    • TIBET (49D: Nepal’s neighbor) A little more geography review today. TIBET is an autonomous region located in the southwestern part of China. The capital of TIBET is Lhasa. Mount Everest is located on the TIBET-Nepal border.
    • ROE (57D: ___ v. Wade) ROE v. Wade was the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision that protected the right to have an abortion. In 2022, ROE v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The last time I wrote about ROE v. Wade, I learned that the ROE v. Wade hearing included what is widely considered to be one of the “worst jokes in legal history.”

    Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis

    HOLD IT (Freestyle): There’s no theme today, as this is a freestyle, or themeless, puzzle. The title is a nod to DON’T GET ANY IDEAS (35A: “No funny business”).

    There are a lot of fun entries in this themeless puzzle. I’m also enjoying the “boots” (the black squares at the bottom of the grid) and antennae (the black squares at the top of the grid) that are making me think of ALIENS (41A: “Little green men”). Congratulations to Zachary Edward-Brown making a USA TODAY crossword debut! Thank you, Zachary, for this excellent puzzle.

    For more on USA TODAY’s Crossword Puzzles